Shinigami Through Time and Space
by SayoShihoinXKohAyamerei
Summary: Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Captain of Squad Twelve and Head of the Department of Research and Development, accidentally taps into Noba's true power while conducting an experiment on the Mod Souls. He manages to create a wormhole that goes through both space and time. An alternate world…500 years ago. Rated T for safety.
1. Prologue: Through the Wormhole

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: The footnotes are only for people who unfamiliar with the word/phrase or its meaning in this context. ex: people who haven't watched one or both of the animes. (They will be based off of the anime versions, not the manga). **

**ALSO: This is after the Zanpakutō Rebellion Arc, but BEFORE the Sword Beast Arc. The zanpakutō are keeping a low profile now, but they WILL make an appearance.  
**

**DISCLAIMER: ME NO OWN THEE ANIMES.  
**

* * *

**Through the Wormhole**

Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi was a curious man by nature. His predecessor, Kisuke Urahara, had recently given him permission to study the Mod Souls**(1)** he'd created, Noba, Ririn and Kurōdo along with the Mod Soul Kon, who belonged to Ichigo Kurosaki. He'd be experimenting with them for a few days now, and he'd found something rather extraordinary by complete accident, such as the way things are.

He had invited Kisuke to flaunt his discovery. The discovery had to do with Noba's true powers, and as the powers are weakened in doll form, Mayuri had put Noba in a gigai**(2)**.

"Hello, Mayuri, it's nice of you to contact me after all this time." A familiar, cheerful voice said.

Mayuri whipped around, "Kisuke!"

"That would be me. So, you wanted to talk about something you found out about Noba?"

"Yes…what would you say Noba's powers are, Kisuke?"

"Hmmm…the power to manipulate space and the objects in space in the form of teleportation. Or does your discovery prove me wrong?"

"No, you are correct…but only HALF correct."

"Hmmm?"

"Noba can also manipulate TIME, Kisuke. I found this out quite by accident when I aged one of my subordinates around 100 years in an experiment. Of course, I tested it out a few more times to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Noba even managed to revert my subordinates to their original ages. Isn't it FASCINATING?"

"Quite…I'm a little jealous I didn't discover it first to be quite honest." Kisuke admitted, whipping out his fan to cover the bottom half of his face.

"It doesn't matter, because THAT'S only what LED UP to my discovery. Come on…"

**{Few Minute Time Skip}**

"What's THAT?"

"It's a wormhole I had Noba create for me," Mayuri explained, referring to a dark crimson whirlpool-like hole in the middle of one of the Twelfth Division**(3)**'s walls.

"Where does it go?"

"It crosses both time and space. From my estimate it leads to the Feudal Era of an alternate world."

"Is it safe?"

"Possibly. Come on."

Mayuri let Noba lead them through the wormhole. What greeted them was a life-filled forest of a Living World. But it was not the World of the Living**(4)** that they knew.

"Extraordinary. Mayuri, you should have some Shinigami**(5)** explore this place, it's quite intriguing."

_Yes, I was thinking of doing just that. But who to send? Nemu, of course. I should send a Captain because of the unknown dangers. I don't want my exploration team knocked out too quickly. Maybe I'll send that brat, Captain Hitsugaya. Rukia Kuchiki would also make sense, because the nobles will want some sort of representative. And I'll want that responsible Lieutenant of Squad Eight…Nanao Ise, yes, that was her name…_

"I'm thinking of sending a team of four Captain-level Shinigami," Mayuri informed Kisuke, "Captain Hitsugaya, Nemu, Nanao Ise and Rukia Kuchiki, to be specific. I'll have to start working on some special gigais..."

"You're sending them in gigais?"

"How will they communicate with locals if I don't?"

"What if they have to fight?"

"They'll have their gikongan**(6)**. If they lose them it's their fault…but maybe I'll think about making blanks for their zanpakutō**(7)**…yes, that'll be interesting…it'll be like a gigai, but for zanpakutō."

"When are you sending them off?"

"Let's see…a week should do…"

"Alright, I'll have a parting gift for them in a week. Don't let them leave before that!"

"Fine, fine…"

"Well, let's go!" Kisuke said in an overly cheerful voice. The three of them, Kisuke, Mayuri and the silent Noba walked back through the wormhole, failing to notice a crow watching them…a crow with 3 red eyes. As the wormhole closed, the demon left to report what it had overheard to its masters.

**{A week later}**

Four Shinigami stepped through a red wormhole, with Kisuke's parting gift hanging from their necks. It was a miniature Substitute Soul Reaper Pass**(8)**, hanging from a cord, which would activate if they flared their spiritual pressure**(9)** while it was touching them. They were also carrying their gikongan in small pouches hanging from their necks.

A short, white-haired boy with teal eyes (Toshiro Hitsugaya) turned to his companions, who included a well-endowed woman with purple hair in a single braid (Nemu Kurotsuchi), a flat chested woman who normally wore glasses but in this special gigai had no need for them (Nanao Ise), and black-haired girl with violet eyes who, while being quite short, was still taller than Toshiro (Rukia Kuchiki).

"Well, let's not waste time," Toshiro Hitsugaya, the leader of their expedition, said as he fiddled with the red crystal Mayuri had given them to communicate with the Soul Society and even open a Time Gate in an emergency. It functioned by absorbing the user's spiritual pressure, so they only would use it if necessary. Toshiro slipped it in his gikongan's pouch before saying, "Let's get moving."

Murmuring in agreement, the others begun to move away from the already closing wormhole.

Toshiro lead the way, followed by Nemu, Nanao and flanked by Rukia, who was guarding their rear.

The four failed to notice the glowing pairs of eyes cutting them off from the wormhole, which had already closed and disappeared anyway.

As the four Shinigami moved along what seemed to be a game trail, Rukia noticed a small rabbit in the undergrowth. Letting out a squeal of pure delight, the young female Death God rushed forward faster than humanly possible and scooped it up.

"Isn't it just ADORABLE? I think I'll call him Chappy**(10)**..." Rukia gushed to her fellow Death Gods.

"Rukia, I know you love rabbits, but we're on a mission. Stop fooling around!" Nanao scolded.

"I have to agree," Toshiro said, "put the rabbit—" His eyes widened as a shadow rose from the undergrowth behind Rukia. "GET DOWN!" He yelled, leaping forward to knock Rukia out of the way. The shadowy figure raised a clawed hand that would've killed Rukia if Toshiro hadn't tackled her out of the way at the last moment.

As it was, Toshiro now had a nasty scratch on his back, from one side of his back to another. Toshiro hated feeling of being helpless but thanks to the sheer force of the scratch his gigai was slightly out of sync with his soul and it was hard to move. Toshiro saw Rukia stand up in her Shinigami state, gigai on the ground, and release Chappy, and then she drew her zanpakutō, taking a defensive stance at the bottom of the slope they'd rolled down.

Their attacker came into view, followed by a few of his friends. They were demons. One had green skin and ram's horns, one had blue skin and five arms, and one looked completely humans except for his red eyes and whip-like tail. As the three demons approached them, Toshiro could hear sounds of a struggle coming from farther up the slope. Nanao and Nemu must've been attacked by other demons.

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki**(11)**," Rukia stated in a clear voice, her hand moving along the blade of her zanpakutō.

As her hand moved along the blade, the steel blade turned pure white, as did the hilt, which gained snowflake shaped guard. Out of the hilt a white ribbon grew and twirled around Rukia.

"Don't move any closer," Rukia said in a stern voice.

The demons ignored her and continued to advance.

Sighing, Rukia held out her zanpakutō, "Some no Mai**(12)**…" Then, using her shunpo**(13)** she appeared in the midst of the demons, catching them off guard. "Tsukishiro**(14)**!" Whipping her sword around, she created a large pillar of ice that surrounded her and the demons, freezing all four of them in place. Then, releasing her Shikai**(15)** and shattering the ice, she moved towards Toshiro.

"Roll over, let me use my Kidō**(16)** to heal your wound." She said.

Grumbling about the effort of moving while his soul and gigai were unbalanced, Toshiro complied. After half an hour or so, the wound was completely gone. As a bonus, Toshiro's soul had managed to synchronize with his gigai again.

"Kuchiki, where are Lieutenants Ise and Kurotsuchi?"

"Dunno. My guess is they high-tailed it out of there after the demons attacked."

"About those demons…Captain Kurotsuchi said nothing about demons in this alternate world. I mean we should've expected something unexpected like that but…"

"Come on! Maybe they're still in the area!" Rukia said with enthusiasm.

"All right…" Toshiro said, getting up.

As the two Shinigami moved away, they failed to noticed the hole in the pouch on Toshiro's neck…and the red crystal lying on the ground.

* * *

**1. Mod Souls:** Short for "modified souls". Exactly what the name implies. They are souls that have modified with to have strange powers; such has superhuman strength, speed, endurance, teleportation, illusions or shape shifting.

**2. Gigai:** _Faux body_. A fake body. They work by the user's soul synchronizing with the gigai's physical form so that the user can control and move around in the gigai.

**3. Divisions/Squads: **The Gotei 13 (_The 13 Court Guard Squads_) is divided into 13 Divisions or Squads. Mayuri is Captain of the 12th Division, Toshiro is Captain of the 10th, Rukia is a member of the 13th and Nanao is the Lieutenant of the 8th.

**4. World of the Living:** The Gotei 13 is located in the Soul Society, a spirit world. The World of the Living is where the humans live (until they die, then they go to the Soul Society).

**5. Shinigami:** _Death Gods/Soul Reapers_, they help the dead pass on to the next world and they purify evil souls. Shinigami have no physical form because they are spirit beings, which is why they have use for gigai. Some are born Shinigami; others used to be human but became Shinigami after death.

**6. Gikongan:** _Soul Candy_. Fake souls inside pills. Since only one soul can be in a body at a time, Shinigami use gikongan to leave their gigai. Mod Souls come in form of gikongan.

**7. Zanpakutō: **_Soul Slayer/Soul Cutter_. All Shinigami (with the exception of Yoruichi Shihōin, Nanao Ise and Nemu Kurotsuchi) wield zanpakutō. Zanpakutō are normally swords in the sealed state. When a Shinigami is ready, the spirit of the zanpakutō allows them to hear its name and form a synergistic unit with the zanpakutō. A zanpakutō is created by its Shinigami master's spiritual pressure. As a result, the zanpakutō is an extension of the Shinigami's own soul, and will die if the Shinigami dies (zanpakutō are essentially living weapons [with emotions and independent thoughts]). Shinigami can converse with their zanpakutō by entering their inner world through forms of meditation, though some form bonds so strong that they can speak to each other by thought alone.

**8. Substitute Soul Reaper Pass: **A wooden badge that forces the soul out of the body/gigai without use of a gikongan. Can be used on anything living. Extremely dangerous for anyone but a Shinigami to use.

**9. Spiritual Pressure/Reiatsu:** Essentially an aura. Also a life force (?) and an energy source. Only souls with high amounts of spiritual pressure can become Shinigami. Also, these souls are the only souls that can get hungry and starve without food.

**10. Chappy: **A cartoon rabbit that Rukia obsesses over. Chappy is also the name of her gikongan.

**11. Dance, Sode no Shirayuki:** (Sode no Shirayuki is the name of Rukia's zanpakutō and means _Sleeve of White_ Snow, Sode no Shirayuki's true form is a pale maiden with white hair and in a white kimono) The release command of Rukia's zanpakutō. In the description of "zanpakutō" (#7) I mentioned something about a sealed state, right? The release command is what the wielder of the zanpakutō says to unseal their zanpakutō's true form and power.

**12. Some no Mai:** _First Dance._ Rukia's release command is "Dance". She has three attacks, Some no Mai (Tsukishiro), Tsugi no Mai (Hakuren) and San no Mai (Shirafune). First Dance, Second Dance and Third Dance.

**13. Shunpo: **_Flash Step._ A technique in which the Shinigami uses his or her spiritual pressure to move at speeds faster than the eye can follow.

**14. Tsukishiro:** _White Moon_. The name of Rukia's first dance. It freezes the ground around Rukia in a perfect circle and then freezes upward in an instant, creating a pillar of ice that freezes Rukia and the enemies in Tsukishiro's circle of ice. Rukia can then shatter the ice and everything frozen with it, except her of course.

**15. Shikai**: _Initial Release/First Release._ What the first release of a zanpakutō is called. When a Shinigami forces their zanpakutō into total submission and becomes one in mind and soul with his or her zanpakutō, they achieve **Bankai **(_Final Release_), which is about ten times stronger than the Shikai.

**16. Kidō:**_Demon Magic._ The user manipulates their spiritual pressure in a variety of spells that can heal, attack, defend or seal.


	2. 1 Strange Occurences and a Rescue Effort

**Me: Hello, again. I have one of my OCs here to disclaim.  
**

**Sayo Shihōin: SayoShihoinXKohAyamerei does own Bleach or Inuyasha. Believe me, it's a good thing she doesn't. ...*glances at pen name*...WHY'D YOU PAIR ME UP WITH HIM?  
**

**Me: O.o Maybe I should've called Koh instead...He's a big KohXSayo fan. Now excuse me as I run for my life.  
**

* * *

**1. Strange Occurrences and a Rescue Effort**

Kagome Higurashi was climbing out of a well. She had not fallen in it. In fact she'd jumped inside. The reason she'd done this was because it was the link between her time, the modern day, and the Feudal Era, the time period she was climbing into now.

On her first visit she'd accidently broken the Shikon no Tama**(1)**, and now with the help of a dog half-demon named Inuyasha, a cursed, lecherous monk named Miroku, a female demon slayer named Sango, Sango's two-tailed pet demon cat, Kirara, and a young fox demon named Shippo, she was collecting shards of the legendary jewel.

Kagome had recently gone back to her own time to take an important test for school. Now she was back, one day earlier than what she'd told her friends. She knew Inuyasha and the others would be pleased that they could continue their quest for the jewel shards a day earlier.

As she made her way down the path from the Bone Eater's Well**(2)** she noticed the glow of…a jewel shard? The shard was a few miles from the well**(3)**, and was giving off a red aura. On closer inspection she realized WASN'T a jewel shard. But what was it? Another fake Shikon Jewel? Instinct told her no, it wasn't.

Curiosity almost got the best of her, but Inuyasha and the others weren't expecting her and if she got into trouble she'd be on her own. Her spiritual powers as a miko**(4)** weren't strong enough for her to fight a really strong demon yet.

She decided to go to Kaede's village**(5)** and tell Inuyasha and the others about the strange red spiritual presence.

* * *

Mayuri Kurotsuchi was NOT happy. Things had been fine, until he'd heard sounds of Captain Hitsugaya yelling "GET DOWN!" then the bumping and scraping the sounded like Captain Hitsugaya, the person carrying the communication crystal, was rolling on the ground. Then the crystal had fallen out of a hole that had been ripped in the pouch during the roll.

He'd seen the demons through the crystal, and he'd seen Rukia Kuchiki kill them. But then Captain Hitsugaya and Rukia Kuchiki had left the crystal behind! Not only that but they'd been separated from Nanao and Nemu.

He'd sent a messenger to Head Captain Yamamoto**(6)** to request the Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki**(7)** (he was expendable) and several other Soul Reapers to participate in the rescue of Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, Lieutenant Nanao Ise, Lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi and Squad Member Rukia Kuchiki. _Based on what I saw through that crystal, they're going to need rescuing. _Mayuri thought tiredly.

A member of the Reversal Counter Force of Onmitsukidō**(8)** in front of him. "Captain Kurotsuchi, the Head Captain has agreed to your request and has sent a hell butterfly**(9)** through the Senkaimon**(10)** to summon Ichigo Kurosaki. Byakuya Kuchikiand his lieutenant, Renji Abari, have also agreed to attempt the rescue. We'll give you a final word on how many are going in a few hours. In the meantime, the Head Captain wants you to make your preparations."

"Captain Kuchiki AND his lieutenant are going? Then who is going to head the sixth division?"

"From what I understand another lieutenant is going to be given temporary control over the sixth division."

"Which one?" Mayuri asked, his natural curiosity as a scientist influencing him to ask the Onmitsukidō officer.

"Lieutenant Sasakibe of the first squad," the intelligence officer said, uncomfortably. Mayuri was of higher rank than him and so he didn't withhold information, but as a member of the Stealth Force, it felt WRONG to give away information.

"Fine. Go away now! I have work to do! Unless you'd like to HELP me? Hmmm?"

The Stealth Force officer left faster than he would have if Mayuri had threatened him with his zanpakutō. People who "helped" Mayuri in his experiments tended to go missing…or they were never the same again. Mayuri knew his reputation, and he often used it to his advantage like he had just now.

"Tch," Mayuri said disapprovingly, "what a pathetic excuse for a Stealth Force officer. Nemu!" Then he paused, realizing whom he had just called out for. "Wretched woman, not here when I need her." Conveniently forgetting that HE had sent Nemu through the wormhole in the first place. He summoned his zanpakutō's spirit**(11)**. For now Ashisogi Jizo**(12)** would take Nemu's place.

**{Time Skip Because I'm Lazy and Want to Get the Plot Moving BADLY :P}**

Standing before the Wormhole was the orange-haired Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki, who for a change was in a gigai not his own body; the stoic, raven-haired Byakuya Kuchiki; the red pineapple-haired, tattooed Renji Abari; the dark-skinned, well-endowed, purple-haired, golden-eyed Yoruichi Shihōin and Yoruichi's number one fan, Captain Soifon of the Second Division and the Stealth Force, who had to long black braids wrapped in cloth with golden rings attached to the bottom of the braids and serious gray eyes.

"Captain Soifon," Mayuri said, "who will take over your division while—"

"My lieutenant," Soifon said stiffly, cutting off the self-proclaimed "scientist". She did not like that man. If fact, if Lady Yoruichi hadn't been going she wouldn't have volunteered.

"You'll have to forgive Soifon, Captain Kurotsuchi, she has no sense of adventure," Yoruichi said in a teasing voice.

Byakuya gave the Goddess of Flash**(13)** a withering look. He had never really liked his former mentor, who had helped him master Flash Step (shunpo). _Werecat_**(14)**_,_ he insulted her in his thoughts.

"Come on, something might've happened to Rukia while we were just standing here," Renji said. This caught Byakuya's attention. As Rukia's older brother he was very protective of her.

"Agreed," Byakuya said.

"Oh, yes!" Yoruichi said, "Before I forget, Kisuke said to give these to everyone but Ichigo and me, since we already have one." She said, passing out more miniature Substitute Soul Reaper Passes.

"Hat 'n' Clogs**(15)** made those?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes! If the user flares their spiritual pressure while it's touching them they'll be forced out of their body."

"Don't we already have gikongan?" Renji asked.

"What if we lost our gikongan? Then we'd all have to share Kurosaki's Substitute Soul Reaper Pass." Soifon said, defending Yoruichi.

"I thought we were leaving," Byakuya said coldly, impatient to save his younger sister.

"Right," Ichigo said, moving forward towards the Wormhole. Then he paused, "Anything I should know?" He asked Mayuri suspiciously. Very few people trusted Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

"Oh, yes. In the event you are separated, I have prepared separate Time Crystals for you all."

"Time Crystals?"

"These little red crystals, they will allow you to communicate with me and you can open temporary rips in space and time to travel back to here. You can even use them to communicate with other Time Crystals. I made them by solidifying some of the Mod Soul Noba's spiritual pressure. But be forewarned: It will use your spiritual pressure to open a Time Gate back here."

"'Kay, now let's go," said Renji anxiously.

Mayuri stepped aside and Yoruichi led the way through the red wormhole, Soifon following at her heels. Ichigo jumped through and Byakuya led Renji through. Mayuri watched them go.

"Why do I have the feeling I've forgotten something?" He asked himself.

* * *

"Hey, Ichigo," Renji began.

"Yes?"

"Won't that huge zanpakutō on your back attract a lot of attention?"

Ichigo paused. Now that Renji mentioned it, Zangetsu**(16)**, his body-long zanpakutō, DID seem out of place.

"Don't worry, Ichigo!" Yoruichi said, pulling out a tattered cape from the folds of her orange jacket. Throwing it to him, she said, "I brought this because Kisuke and I figured that we'd need to cover Zangetsu up somehow."

As Ichigo was slinging his new cape over Zangetsu, muttering something about whether or not they thought Zangetsu's size was a hindrance, Soifon felt a familiar spiritual pressure.

"Isn't that Rukia Kuchiki's spiritual pressure?" Yoruichi observed. Soifon looked over at her admiringly. Of course she wouldn't have sensed it before Lady Yoruichi!

All three men snapped to attention at the mention of Rukia's name. Byakuya cared for Rukia as a sister, Renji cared for Rukia as a childhood friend and Ichigo cared for her as one of his friends who he'd promised to protect. In many ways the rescue effort was directed more at Rukia than group of Soul Reapers as a whole.

"Where?" Ichigo asked. Out of all five of the rescue party, Ichigo was by far the worst at sensing spiritual pressure.

"Come on," Yoruichi said.

Following Yoruichi, the group soon came to a spot on the trail where it was fairly evident a battle of sorts had taken place. The stones littering the ground were accented with dried, reddish brown blood, and grass was torn up. But the most obvious sign were the bodies.

"What are they?" Renji asked, bending down to examine a purple-scaled humanoid figure with white feathers growing out from its temples.

"I'd have to say demons," Yoruichi said, completely serious for a change.

"Demons, Lady Yoruichi?" Soifon asked.

"Well, they're not human," Ichigo observed.

Renji glanced his way, "What was your first clue?"

"Shut up, Renji!" Ichigo snapped.

Shrugging, Renji returned to his examinations of the purple-scaled demon.

"If this is what attacked the previous group, why didn't Captain Kurotsuchi warn us?" Byakuya mused aloud.

"Because he trusts us about as much as we trust him?" Ichigo guessed.

"No, I don't think that's quite right," Yoruichi said, "he may have just forgotten."

"Forgotten? You've got to be kidding me, Yoruichi…" Renji trailed off when he saw the murderous glare he was being given by Soifon.

"Hey! Come see what I found!" Ichigo's excited voice called out to the others in his group.

Byakuya and Soifon stayed on the trail while Yoruichi and Renji followed Ichigo's voice.

What they saw was a welcome surprise.

"Ice!" Renji exclaimed.

"Ice from Rukia's Sode no Shirayuki, based on the traces of spiritual pressure left on the ice," Yoruichi added.

Ichigo, grinning from ear to ear, said, "Yoruichi can you pick up their spiritual pressure?"

"…Nope," Yoruichi replied.

Ichigo's grin faded, "What? But…"

"Ichigo, you probably haven't noticed, considering how horrible at sensing spiritual pressure you are, but there are more people or demons in this small area with strong spiritual then there probably are in our either world. It could take months to untangle all of the spirit ribbons**(17)** and by then the trail would've gone cold." Renji explained.

"Damn it! And here I thought we'd found a lead!"

"Before you jump to conclusions of what this means, let me ask you something. Can you point out exactly where the Wormhole is?" Yoruichi asked.

"Ummmmm….over there?" Ichigo said, pointing.

"And if Rukia was here…" She prodded.

"Then they're going that way!" Renji concluded pointing in the opposite direction that Ichigo was pointing.

"Exactly."

**{A Few Minutes Later}**

"We should split up," Yoruichi announced. The silence that greeted that statement stretched out longer than Yoruichi would've been comfortable with. However, she stuck by her statement.

"Captain Kurotsuchi said we could use the crystals to communicate. AND the people we're looking for have split up. We'll cover more ground that way." She explained.

"I think it's a good idea," Soifon said immediately.

"…It makes sense, why not?" Ichigo sighed.

"3 out of 5, what do think Renji?" Yoruichi asked.

"I'll do it if Captain Kuchiki agrees." Renji said.

"…Very well. But we should pair off," Byakuya said.

"There are 5 of us!" Ichigo interjected.

"No, it's reasonable. Soifon and me, Renji and you, Ichigo and that leaves Byakuya alone, or do you want me to travel alone, Byakuya?" Yoruichi asked.

"I'm fine by myself," Byakuya snapped.

Ichigo and Renji blinked. It was the most emotion they'd seen out of him since they'd known him**—**respectively. But that was hardly surprising. Yoruichi had always known how to get under Byakuya's skin.

As the three groups went their separate ways, a demon crow eyed the lone man, who seemed to be staying to further investigate the ambush sight. His masters would be pleased that he'd found a vulnerable target. He went off to report it.

* * *

Nemu was busy studying some of the plants, still intent on researching the alternate world like they were sent to in the first place. Meanwhile, Nanao was preparing some of the food from the provisions in her pack.

After the demons had attacked, they'd tried to make their way towards where they'd seen Toshiro and Rukia last. But the demons had pushed them back, until they were forced to retreat away from their comrades.

When they'd come back later, there'd been no sign of Toshiro or Rukia. So Nanao had picked a random direction and started walking in that direction, Nemu obediently following.

Reflecting on the ambush, she found it strange that the demons had been waiting for them on a seemingly deserted game trail. Almost like they'd been warned ahead of time...

* * *

When Kagome walked into Kaede's village, she saw Sango and Miroku sitting outside Kaede's house. Sango was absentmindedly petting Kirara. Miroku was sitting, rubbing a red slap mark on his cheek.

"Sango! Miroku!" She called out.

They looked up in surprise. "Kagome!"

"You're back early," Miroku observed.

"Yep. Hey where's Inuyasha?"

"Chasing Shippo around the forest. Shippo played a prank on him and Inuyasha didn't take it very well."

"Oh well. On my way here I saw something that looked like a jewel shard**—**but DIFFERENT. I was hoping we could go check it out."

"Do you think its another fake Shikon no Tama?" Miroku asked.

"It's more similar to that than the real one, but I don't think so."

"Well, we're not going to find out standing here," Sango said, shouldering her Hirakotsu**(18)**.

"All right. Are we going to ride on Kirara?" Kagome asked fondling the small demon cat's ears.

"It'll be faster that way."

Kagome backed off as flames enveloped Kirara as she transformed into a gigantic, two-tailed, saber-toothed cat.

Kirara bent down and Kagome, Sango and Miroku were soon flying in the direction of the mysterious jewel shard.

* * *

**1. Shikon no Tama:** _The Shikon Jewel. _A powerful pink jewel said to grant any wish. It was created when the soul of a powerful miko4 and the soul of a powerful demon became one during a vicious battle.

**2. Bone Eater's Well:** A well in which the nearby villagers dispose of the bones of slain demons.

**3. …a few miles from the well…**: Kagome is one of the few people who can see shards of the Shikon jewel. Her powers allow her to see jewels even if they are miles away. There is a limit to how far they have to be for her to sense them, however.

**4. Miko**: _Priestess/Shrine Maiden._ A human female with large amounts of spiritual energy, a pure heart and powers of purification.

**5. Kaede's village**: I'm not sure what the village name actually is. It's the place Inuyasha and Kagome met and the most recent home of the Shikon Jewel. It's the closest village to the Bone Eater's well and serves as a sort of base to Inuyasha and his friends. Kaede is the miko of the village.

**6. Head Captain Yamamoto**: The Captain of the First Division. The leader of the Soul Society (because Central 46 is still dead).

**7. Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki: **A human with Soul Reaper powers given to him by Rukia Kuchiki. One of the most powerful warriors in the Soul Society but he's technically not an official Soul Reaper.

**8. Onmitsukidō: **_The Stealth Force/Punishment Force/Secret Mobile Unit/Special Forces/Covert Ops._ Lead by the Shihōin clan leader (but because the current clan leader, Yoruichi Shihōin, abandoned her title, Soifon is the leader of the Stealth Force now). The are five branches: Executive Militia (assassination of law-breakers, or missions involving combat), Patrol Corps (intelligence gathering), Detention Unit (supervision of criminals), Unknown Division and Reversal Counter Force (covert message-bearers).

**9. Hell Butterfly:** What Soul Reaper use to carry messages that aren't covert. Also, Hell Butterflies act as guides to the Soul Society.

**10. Senkaimon: **_World Penetration Gate._ The Soul Society and the World of the Living are parallel worlds. The Senkaimon is the gate used to travel between the two worlds. The Senkaimon is the only (not to mention safe) way to enter the Soul Society besides Konsō (_Soul Burial_), which is a one-way ticket for lost souls ONLY.

**11. Zanpakutō Spirit: **The true (humanoid) appearance of the zanpakutō.This story takes place during the Zanpakutō Rebellion/Sword Beast Filler Arcs. Their zanpakutō spirits would just attract attention, so instead they're carrying them within their swords like usual. However, the zanpakutō WILL make an appearance later on.

**12. Ashisogi Jizō: **_Leg-Cutting Jizō_ (A Jizō is a benevolent spirit that takes the appearance of a baby in Buddhist monk's robes and looks after children). Mayuri Kurotsuchi's zanpakutō. Its release command is "Rip". It takes the form a golden, deformed trident with a baby's face where the three prongs meet. Anything cut by Ashisogi Jizō is paralyzed and cannot move. They can still feel pain, however. Mayuri has achieved Bankai, Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō (_Golden Let-Cutting Jizō_). Ashisogi Jizo's true form is a being with a golden baby's head, butterfly wings, a silver halo and ripped robes.

**13. Goddess of Flash:** _Flash Master. _Yoruichi is fastest at Flash Step. Therefore she earned the title Goddess of Flash or Flash Master.

**14. Werecat:** Yoruichi has the power to turn into a cat. A younger Byakuya used to call her "werecat" because of this.

**15. Hat 'n' Clogs:** Kisuke Urahara wears straw bowl hat and wooden clogs. Ichigo calls him "Mr. Hat and Clogs" because of this. I've shortened slightly. Maybe Ichigo will call him by his full nickname later.

**16. Zangetsu:** _Moon Slayer/Moon Cutter. _Zangetsu is Ichigo's zanpakutō. It's in constant Shikai state and cannot be sealed because Ichigo can't control his sheer amount of spiritual pressure. Zangetsu does not have a release command because it is ALREADY released. Ichigo, unlike Rukia, has achieved Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu (_Heavenly Chains Cutting Moon_). Zangetsu's true form is a middle-aged man with long black hair and shades over his eyes. He wears a formless tattered black robe.

**17. Spirit Ribbons/Reiraku:** Spirit ribbons are a visualization of spiritual pressure. Spirit ribbons are white UNLESS they belong to a Soul Reaper. ONLY SOUL REAPERS have RED Spirit Ribbons.

**18. Hirakotsu:** _The bone that flies back. _Sango's weapon. It is a giant boomerang made with the bones of demons that her village had previously slain.


	3. 2 Meetings of Shinigami and Miko

**Koh: Sayo is busy chasing...*looks at cue card*...Her Excellency and Master of All Things She is Master of, SayoShihoinXKohAyamerei, Whom Has Graciously Decided to Allow Koh to Call Her SSKA...What's up with the capitals?  
**

**Me*running by*: DO THE DISCLAIM!  
**

**Sayo*chasing*: Hado #4: Byakurai!  
**

**Koh: SSKA does not own Bleach or Inuyasha...or it would be similar to this Author's Note.  
**

**Me: I HEARD THAT! Bakuodo # 81: Danku! *Danku blocks Sayo's Kidō* NOW GO BANKAI AND HELP ME!  
**

* * *

**2. A Meeting of Shinigami and Miko**

"Come back here, Shippo!" Inuyasha's angered voice carried through the abnormally quiet forest. All the animals had fled the area, fearing Inuyasha's irritated demonic aura.

"No way," Shippo muttered under his breath. Unfortunately he had forgotten about Inuyasha's sharp dog ears.

"THERE you are!" He growled.

Shippo turned around and started running faster, but Inuyasha grabbed him.

"Now, you going to apologize? Or do I have to MAKE you?" Inuyasha growled.

"I'm sorry!"

"Sorry for what?"

"I'm **_so _**sorry for filling your room with cats high on catnip!" **{ ;) cats high on catnip…*shudder*}**

"You'd better be," Inuyasha snapped.

* * *

*****POV Change*****

**-1P: Toshiro Hitsugaya-**

"Do you think we should contact Soul Society?" Kuchiki asked.

Annoyed that I hadn't thought of that first, I got out my gikongan pouch, which also had the crystal in it. As I yanked it away from where it had been hanging, the gikongan came flying out of a small hole in the side of the pouch. Sharp reflexes gained after many battles allowed me to catch it before I fully realized it was falling.

Then I realized what a hole in my gikongan pouch could mean. Opening the pouch in a panic, my worst fears were confirmed: the red crystal, our ticket back home, was not there.

"Shit," I cursed our bad luck.

*****POV Change*****

**-P3L: Rukia Kuchiki-**

Rukia's eyes widened. She'd never heard Captain Hitsugaya swear before, even a common one such as "shit". And considering the context, there was only one reason he'd have said that.

"YOU LOST THE CRYSTAL?" Rukia exclaimed, momentarily forgetting the difference of ranks in her shocked fury.

Captain Hitsugaya was not one to be intimidated easily, but even he flinched at the sheer FURY in her voice.

"Calm down, Kuchiki," Captain Hitsugaya snapped reflexively, "they'll notice soon and send a someone after us. The crystal was meant as a communication device, too."

Rukia didn't WANT to calm down. She wanted to rant for a few minutes or, even better, to KICK HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE. But after her initial outburst, she'd recalled whom she was speaking to. She managed to reign in the anger she used reserved for Ichigo and Renji when they insulted her drawings. Ichigo especially.

"Fine, CAPTAIN," Rukia hissed. She began walking in the direction they'd decided to go a few hours ago. Captain Hitsugaya followed quietly.

* * *

*****POV Change*****

**-3PL: Byakuya Kuchiki-**

Byakuya was looking for the Time Crystal that Mayuri had informed them that Toshiro had dropped.

So far, he hadn't found it.

Which annoyed him greatly. Speaking of which, he was more than little ashamed that he'd allowed that WERECAT to get under his skin.

Moving closer to the slope itself, he figured that the crystal would be close to the place that Toshiro dropped it.

As his long bangs fell over his eyes, he sighed, wishing he'd been allowed to wear his kenseikan**(1)**.

"Over here," a feminine voice called.

Byakuya glanced up, and was surprised to see a young girl around 15 or 16 years of age with black hair and brown eyes burst out of the forest. But what was surprising was that she wore a modern day high school school uniform: green and white with a red ribbon.

Beside her, a raven-haired monk in purple robes, carrying a golden staff; a brown-haired woman in a pink and green kimono with a huge boomerang (rivaling even that brat Kurosaki's Zangetsu in size) on her back and a large twin-tailed cat with saber fangs burst out of the forest as well.

It didn't take long for the motley group to notice him: "Have you seen a red jewel shard somewhere around here?" The woman with the boomerang asked.

"Why do you ask?" Byakuya inquired, wearing an expressionless mask over his inner turmoil. Was she talking about a Time Crystal?

"I'm a priestess," the black-haired girl began, "well, a priestess-in-training, that is. I have the power to sense shards of the Shikon Jewel, because they have large amounts of spiritual energy. I've been gathering shards to make the jewel whole again, because it's my fault the jewel broke in the first place—"

_Get on with it!_

"—and I thought I sensed a jewel shard here—"

_So she's not talking about the Time Crystal?_

"—but then I realized the spiritual energy was different and sort of feels like it doesn't belong here…sort of silly I know—"

_Damn! She's talking about the Time Crystal and she can feel that it doesn't belong! What if she notices the difference in my spiritual pressure?_

Just to be safe, Byakuya lowered his spiritual pressure to that of a human who couldn't even see ghosts.

"So you're looking for a red jewel?" Byakuya cut in. This girl was almost—_ALMOST_—as annoying as that damn werecat, Yoruichi.

"Um, yeah," she said scanning the ground even as she spoke. "THERE!" She said, triumphantly snatching up the Time Crystal.

The monk moved towards it, "It certainly LOOKS different." He commented. Byakuya noticed that both the girl and the monk had large amounts of spiritual pressure. As long as they didn't release any of their spiritual pressure, it should be fine. But just in case…

Byakuya moved closer, "Yes. That's it all right."

The monk looked questioningly at the stoic man, "You were looking for it?"

Byakuya toke out the chain with his red crystal on it and showed it to them.

"I wonder why I didn't notice it before," the girl said, looking at him with a curious look on her face.

*****POV Change*****

**-3PO-**

It wasn't a surprise that Kagome hadn't noticed Byakuya's crystal. His spiritual pressure had been covering up Noba's, which was much weaker than his. She could've probably sensed it if she'd been expecting it or was looking for it on him, but she hadn't been.

"Yes, I was looking for it. My group left without me—" that much WAS true "—because I stayed behind to look for the crystal that one of us, Cap—Toshiro dropped."

"Why is its spiritual energy similar to the Shikon Jewel?"

"We don't know, that's why we're collecting them, just in case," Byakuya said, he disliked lying but it was probably better than telling the truth just now.

"O~K," Kagome said, handing the jewel to him hesitantly.

"Thank you." Byakuya said, beginning to walk away.

"Hold on! What's your name?"

"Byakuya Kuchiki," he replied over his shoulder, hurrying away before they had the chance to ask any questions that couldn't answer in good conscience.

"What an odd man." Miroku commented.

"You're one to talk! …So that crystal turned out to be nothing more than a missing trinket?" Sango asked, disappointed.

"Guess so," Kagome muttered. Somehow she didn't think so.

* * *

*****{Midnight}*****

Sesshōmaru, Demon Lord of the West, Elder Son of the Dog General and Inuyasha's older brother, was angry. And people tended to die when he got even annoyed, much less angry.

The reason he was angry was because his young ward, Rin, had been kidnapped by a demon. He could smell it. The demon had also taken his vassal, the imp Jaken, and injured his two-headed dragon, Ah-Un.

He didn't have time for this. He was tracking Naraku**(2)** currently, and he'd SMELLED it: the appearance of a demonic scent, the fear in Rin's scent, Ah-Un's blood, the nervousness in Jaken's scent, the fire of the Staff of Two Heads**(3)** and finally the alarm in Rin and Jaken's scents as their scents, along with the demon's, faded.

Right now he was flying back to their campsite, where, sure enough, there was a bloodied Ah-Un and scorch marks. And no Rin or Jaken to be seen. Growling with annoyance, he checked to be sure the dragon's wound was not fatal, and then he followed the scent trail that the demon had left behind.

That demon, when he found it, WAS DEAD.

* * *

Miles away, Rin felt the demon carrying them shuddered slightly. _What is this foreboding feeling?_ The demon asked itself, confused.

"Master Jaken," she said, the fear in her voice evident, "are we going to be okay?"

"Of course we are, you silly girl!" Jaken snapped at the eight or nine year old, "Lord Sesshōmaru is a powerful demon and will kill this pathetically weak snake demon within seconds! GAWWWMMFFFPH!" Jaken yelped as the demon holding them shoved Jaken's face into his armpit.

"This 'pathetically weak snake demon' has ears, you know!" it snapped, "And I'm a LIZARD demon. LIZARD. I have APENDAGES, which you are currently being held by." It added, almost as an afterthought.

"Mmmrrrph!" Jaken grumbled indignantly. The demon however, ignored him.

"Mr. Lizard Demon," Rin began.

"Yeah?"

"What's your name?"

"Why should I tell you that?"

"…"

"If you've got no reason, shut up and let me focus. Got it?"

"…"

"…Say something…"

"…MR. LIZARD DEMON! YOU HAVE SUCH PRETTY SCALES!" Rin exclaimed suddenly, referring to the deep blue scales that plated his body.

"…You know what? I liked you better when you were quiet. Good thing you two'll be dead by tomorrow moonrise."

"Dead?" Rin squeaked.

"Mmrph?" Jaken cried, alarmed.

* * *

*****{The following morning}*****

Nanao and Nemu had started to walk again. In fact, they'd been walking for hours.

"This is even worse than dealing with Captain Kyoraku," Nanao said. "It almost makes me WISH something would happen."

In a matter of seconds, she regretted those words bitterly.

There was a flash of green and white before they found themselves tied with rope in the middle of the road with a demon staring down at them.

It seemed to be a lizard demon, much like the ones that had ambushed them yesterday, except that this one had white feathers growing out of its green-scaled temples.

"You sssshould be honored," it said.

"Are you a snake or a lizard?" Nanao asked, it had limbs like a lizard, but with that lisp, who knew?

"I'M A LllllIZZARD! IFF IT WASSSSN'T FFOR THISSS LlllISSSSPP…Never mind. You sssshould be honored, you are ssssome offff the fffinalll ssssacrificessss my tribe'ssss massster needsss to be resssurrected…"

"…" It toke Nanao awhile to decipher what the demon had said, then…"WHAT? Sacrifices?"

"I believe that is what he said," Nemu said evenly.

"Yessss. Ssssee? Your ffffriend hassss taken it wellllll…I think." The demon said, looking at Nemu's expressionless face.

"…She's always like that. It doesn't mean anything."

"…"

"…"

"...Welllll, lllllet'ssss go…" The demon suggested awkwardly.

"No way! I refuse to be a sacrifice!"

"Too bad," it replied, dragging them by the ropes.

"You know what, Nemu? I think I would've preferred it if nothing eventful happened today."

* * *

Kagome, Sango, Miroku and Kirara returned to Kaede's village to find Inuyasha glaring at a cowering Shippo.

"Shippo…"

"I swear it wasn't me this time!"

Inuyasha raised his clawed hand, "Yeah right! I warned you!"

"SIT BOY**(4)**!" Kagome yelled.

Inuyasha face-planted into the ground as the subduing necklace**(5)** around his neck glowed with sacred light. Shippo turned around, "Kagome! Inuyasha tried to hurt me!"

"It's okay, Shippo," Kagome said soothingly.

"What the hell, Kagome?" Inuyasha snapped.

"Aren't you _happy_ to see me, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked in a dangerous tone.

"Um, yeah, sure." Inuyasha confirmed nervously.

"Good. Considering I had to drop a few things to come back early," Kagome muttered.

"Hey, Kagome, now that you're back will we go looking for the jewel shards?"

"Yeah, that's right! Well, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked impatiently.

"Why do you THINK I came back?" Kagome replied, vaguely annoyed.

As Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply, a crying woman from Kaede's village started running towards them.

"DEMONS! LIZARD DEMONS!" She screamed, grabbing on Inuyasha. "Please save my sons," she gasped between sobs.

"Don't worry, miss," Miroku said, approaching the woman, "we'll save your sons. Let's go, Inuyasha."

"Right behind you, Miroku," Inuyasha replied, following him. Kagome, Shippo, Kirara and Sango quickly followed.

* * *

**1. Kenseikan:** silver hairpieces that only the nobility of the great Kuchiki Clan are allowed to wear

**2. Naraku: **a half-demon that was created when a crippled human named Onigumo gave his body up to thousands of demons in exchange for there power

**3. Staff of Two Heads:** A staff with two heads on the top, a beautiful woman (Micha) and an ugly man (Nichu). It can track demonic (and certain spiritual) auras and it can also breathe fire.

**4. SIT BOY:** Is the command to activate the subduing necklace5. "Sit" also works. Kagome is the only one who has the power to activate the necklace.

**5. Subduing Necklace:** A rosary with a pattern of purple beads and white fangs. It has a sacred subduing spell that was placed by Kikyo**(6)**. Every time Kagome says "sit" Inuyasha is forced to face plant into the ground. Hard. Very hard.

**6. Kikyo:** The last official protector of the Shikon Jewel and Kaede's older sister. Kagome is Kikyo's reincarnation. **NOTE: **A witch took some of Kagome's soul and brought Kikyo back to life in a clay body. Kikyo has to steal the dead's souls to stay alive, however. **NOTE'S NOTE: **Kikyo always seems to survive falling off cliffs (repeatedly), being attacked by demons, having her soul sucked out, etc., etc. **{A footnote within the footnotes...FOOTNOTECEPTION!}**


	4. 3 Attack of Cherry Petals

**Me: HELLO! Koh and I ganged up on Sayo and she gave up trying to beat us up.  
**

**Koh: ...Take me to Squad Four now?  
**

**Me: KASUMI!  
**

**Nee-san: Yes?  
**

**Me: Not you! Your character!  
**

***Nee-san drags Kasumi here*  
**

**Me: Kasumi, please take Koh to Squad Four. And please, don't injure him anymore than he already is.  
**

**Kasumi: Hai! *Grabs Koh and runs away squealing like a fan-girl*  
**

**Me: I SAID DON'T INJURE HIM! BAKA!  
**

**Nee-san: Since my Onee-san is too busy looking out for her OC's welfare, I'm here to say that Onee-san DOES NOT own Bleach or Inuyasha.  
**

* * *

**3. Attack of Cherry Petals  
**

LAST TIME:

_As Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply, a crying woman from Kaede's village started running towards them._

_ "DEMONS! LIZARD DEMONS!" She screamed, grabbing on Inuyasha. "Please save my sons," she gasped between sobs._

_ "Don't worry, miss," Miroku said, approaching the woman, "we'll save your sons. Let's go, Inuyasha."_

_ "Right behind you, Miroku," Inuyasha replied, following him. Kagome, Shippo, Kirara and Sango quickly followed._

* * *

"Kaede!" Kagome called out, catching the attention of the old miko.

"Kagome, you're back," the old woman observed, vaguely surprised.

"Kaede—" Kagome began, but was cut off by Inuyasha.

"What happened, Old Lady Kaede?" Inuyasha asked, enraged by the sight of many crying mothers.

"The lizard demons came and grabbed all of the children. Then the one in charge counted them and left three behind. Apparently they only had need for twelve children." **{For the sake of the story, there shall be 15 children in Kaede's village…also, if anyone has any suggestions for a good name for Kaede's village (or even better the actual name) please say so in the reviews}**

"Only a certain number?" Miroku asked.

"Yes. Come on, if we're to save those kidnapped children, we'd better move quickly."

"Hold on. Who said you're coming, granny?"

"I'm coming whether or not you approve," Kaede snapped, "It was my village that was attacked. I'm not going to stand by idly!"

"But Kaede, you're in no condition to…" Sango began.

"Instead of arguing over my health, maybe we should focus on saving the children?" Kaede said dryly.

"Right." Sango replied weakly.

After Kirara transformed into her bigger form, Miroku, Shippo and Sango climbed on. Kaede was riding on a chestnut stallion and Kagome was riding piggyback on Inuyasha, who, due to his being a half-demon, was gifted with superhuman strength, speed and endurance.

* * *

*****POV Change*****

**-3PL: Byakuya Kuchiki-**

Byakuya hadn't gone very far when he felt aggravated and sadden auras coming from what seemed to be a village.

"Excuse me, miss," he called out to a woman who was crying on the outskirts of the town. She looked up and before he could ask her what had happened, she had run over to him and started to cry out, "They took her! They toke my daughter!"

"Who?" Byakuya asked, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"The demons!" She sobbed, sinking to the ground. "The lizard demons…"

Demons. Lizard demons…like the ones that had attacked the first group of Shinigami to go through the Wormhole. Byakuya closed his eyes completely. It seemed these demons were causing a lot of trouble around here. Byakuya also remembered that Mayuri had seen demons that were clearly not lizard demons through the crystal. If they had allies they'd be even more of a nuisance. Then his eyes snapped opened.

The same demons that had attacked his comrades had been kidnapping people…could that mean that Nemu and Nanao, who'd been unaccounted for after the attack, had been kidnapped as well?

If so, then Byakuya would have to go save them. Even if they could get out on their own, they didn't have a Time Crystal of their own and needed him to communicate with the others or open up a Time Gate.

"Which direction did the demons go? I'll go save your daughter." He said to the woman. She paused in her sobbing and looked up at him.

"THANK YOU! They went east." She exclaimed, tackling him to the ground **{mental image, mental image XD}**. Then she righted herself and proceeded to cry on the side of the road. Where she seemed determined to remain until her daughter was returned to her.

_What a strange woman,_ Byakuya mused, and started traveling east.

* * *

*****POV Change*****

**-3PL: Rin-**

Rin and Jaken were thrown into a prison of an abandoned village that the lizard demons seemed to call "home". There were many other people here. Demons and humans alike.

"So you got thrown in here too?" A black haired woman with blue-gray eyes asked kindly.

"Well obviously," Jaken snapped.

"That's not nice, Master Jaken!" Rin scolded. Then she turned to the black-haired woman, "My name is Rin. This is Jaken. Who're you?"

"My name is Nanao Ise. You can call me Nanao. This"—she said, gesturing to the emotionless purple-haired woman beside her—"is Nemu Kurotsuchi. You can call her Nemu."

"What's going to happen now?" Rin asked, dusting off her orange and white checkered kimono and brushing her short black bangs to the side. Turning her large brown eyes to Nanao, she asked, "What's going to happen now, Nanao?"

"We're going to find out what they're planning and then get out of here," she replied calmly.

"And how are you going to take on the entire demon lizard tribe by yourself?" Jaken asked, visibly aggravated.

"Well, no one's coming to save us, so we'll have to do something ourselves." Nanao said.

"No, that's not true! Lord Sesshōmaru will come save us!" Rin exclaimed.

"Lord Sesshōmaru?" Nemu questioned tonelessly. Nanao, Rin and even the disgruntled Jaken looked at her in surprise. Then Rin seemed to realize she'd been asked a question.

"Lord Sesshōmaru is a really powerful demon! But he's very nice and he'll come and save Jaken and me." Rin said confidently.

"A demon, huh? And I don't suppose you're a demon too?" Nanao said, turning to Jaken.

"Master Jaken is an imp demon!" Rin piped up.

"I see. And what is a human girl doing traveling with two demons?"

"Three demons. Ah-Un is back with Lord Sesshōmaru," Rin said. Then she paused and said in a slightly more serious tone: "Lord Sesshōmaru protected me. So I decided to follow him!"

"I see. So not all demons are as nasty as these lizard demons?" Nanao asked.

"Nope! Lord Sesshōmaru, Master Jaken and Ah-Un are all really nice to me!" Rin gushed happily.

"Very well. So we'll wait for this 'Lord Sesshōmaru' of yours to come." Nanao said, reclining slightly against the rock wall.

* * *

*****POV Change*****

**-3PL: Sesshōmaru-**

Sesshōmaru could smell the lizard demon's foul odor in the air. And the scent of many others. So this demon wasn't acting on its own. He could also smell the scent of many other fearful humans and even demons.

_What are they planning?_ He thought, as an abandoned village came into view.

* * *

*****POV Change*****

**-3PO-**

When Inuyasha's group arrived at the Lizard Demon Village **{I apologize for my un-creativity in the way of names}** they were greeted by a horde of multi-colored lizard demons.

"Ssssstop riiight thhhere!" One of the lizard demons, a green and white one, hissed.

"I thought you guys were supposed lizard demons, not snake demons," Shippo commented.

_Why does everyone have to say that when they hear my lisp?_ The lizard demon thought in annoyance.

"We arrre lizzzard demonssss!" It snapped.

"Either way, you'd better get out of the way, or you're going to regret it!" Inuyasha said, gripping the hilt of Tessaiga**(1)** with every intention of unleashing a Wind Scar**(2)** on these demons.

"You're outnumbered!" Another lizard demon, this one bright yellow with red feathers on its temples, called out.

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha growled.

"Yeah!" A smaller red demon without any head feather growled.

"Well if you want me to feel threatened maybe you should send out some stronger demons!" Inuyasha said tauntingly, drawing Tessaiga. The giant white sword was curved at the tip, like a fang, and had a tuft of fur at the base of the blade. Wind and demonic energy swirled around it as Inuyasha brought it down in a Wind Scar. The lizard demons jumped out of the way. The few who didn't were immediately killed upon impact.

The rest of the lizard demons quickly retreated to the safety of their village, unwilling to face another Wind Scar.

"Well that was easy," Inuyasha said.

"Too easy," Miroku said cryptically.

* * *

Byakuya quickly arrived at the Lizard Demon Village, where he was greeted by a group of six lizard demons. They probably thought six was enough to take him, so they attacked without even pausing.

Drawing his zanpakutō, Byakuya raised vertically and pronounced clearly, "Scatter, Senbonzakura**(3)**." The blade glowed bright pink and scattered into hundreds of what looked like cherry blossoms.

The "cherry blossoms" encircled the demons, and at Byakuya's signal they plunged towards the demons. The "cherry blossoms" were, in reality, tiny blades that were just as sharp, maybe even sharper, than a regular zanpakutō. So the demons died within seconds of the cherry blossom attack.

Then the cherry blossoms reformed into Byakuya's zanpakutō, which he sheathed.

**_Hurry, sir! That woman's daughter could be in real trouble if we don't__ hurry!_** Senbonzakura's voice called out.

"I know." Byakuya replied, quickly stepping over the bodies of the demons and hurried on his way.

* * *

"Captain Kuchiki's here," Nemu stated.

"I know, I felt his spiritual pressure too," Nanao replied.

"Who's Captain Kuchiki?" Rin asked.

"Someone we weren't expecting to see here. Still, I doubt any of these lizard demons could stand up to him. Except maybe the one the captured us. The rope he used somehow managed to suppress my kidō." Nanao added as an afterthought.

"Kidō?" Rin asked.

"A fighting technique we use," Nanao said vaguely.

"Oh."

"The lizard demons aren't alone," a woman said gravely from a corner.

The four, Nanao, Nemu, Rin and Jaken, turned towards her.

"What do you mean, woman?" Jaken asked.

"Other demons...the five-armed demons, the whip-tailed demons, the ram's horn demons, the IMP demons..." the woman said, glaring at Jaken before continuing, "...like THIS ONE...and many others..."

"Hold on! Jaken isn't in league with the lizard demons!" Rin said.

"Why should we trust you? For all we know you're a shape-shifter demon!"

"She's not." Nemu stated. She and Nanao could clearly see Rin's human spiritual pressure.

"What makes you so sure?"

"I don't think I can tell you." Nemu said matter-of-factly.

* * *

Byakuya was walking swiftly through the village. As he passed a crossroads, he heard footsteps and armor clinking behind him. He turned around to see a single demon in samurai armor. It was not a lizard demon. It was a large red-skinned demon with ram's horns and green and purple stripes—war paint—all over its body.

"Who are you?" The demon snapped.

"I see no reason to tell you," Byakuya said, drawing Senbonzakura from its sheath.

"Oh, so you think you fight me?" The demon said, obviously amused, "Even if you're the person who killed the guards at the gates, let me tell you this: I'm on a completely different level."

"Is that so? Scatter, Senbonzakura," Byakuya replied, eyes narrowing. After releasing Senbonzakura's Shikai, the demon smiled.

"So that's your trick, making your sword disappear?"

On Byakuya's signal the cherry blossoms converged on the demon—and bounced off. Byakuya's eyes widened in surprise. What was that armor made of?

"Oh, so your little trick didn't work? Well let me show you mine!" The demon said, taking a deep breath, then breathing green fire towards Byakuya. Jumping out of the way, Byakuya managed to avoid it. But it had come as a nasty shock.

_**You may have to use Bankai on this one, oh, and watch out for that fire, it's not regular roast-your-marshmellows fire,**_ Senbonzakura commented.

"I know, now shut up and let me concentrate," growled Byakuya, vaguely annoyed with his zanpakutō's off-hand commentary.

"Talking to yourself? That's a new reaction."

"I'm talking to my sword, if you have to know," Byakuya replied.

"...That's new..."

Byakuya recalled all of his cherry blossoms to him. Once his sword was whole again, he turned it upside-dow and dropped it.

"Bankai," Byakuya said, quickly using his Soul Reaper pass to change into his Shinigami form. As soon as Byakuya said "Bankai", large swords, each twice as tall as Byakuya, came out of the ground behind him. The demon's eyes widened in surprise.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," Byakuya said. Each of the blades glowed pink, and broke apart into cherry blossoms. There were thousands of cherry blossoms, maybe as much a million. Byakuya thrust his hand forward, and the cherry blossoms followed his lead, engulfing the demon in a sea of pink.

Then the sea was split apart with a roar, as flames appeared. Byakuya's eyes narrowed. It had survived his Bankai's first attack? Although, as he could now see, it hadn't come without a price. The demon's samurai armor was hanging off him and in places was completely missing. On of the ram's horns was broken off and his skin was full of small cuts and scratches that would've been worse if not for his thick skin.

"You bastard! How the hell did you do that?"

"That's the true form of my little 'trick'. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't expecting you to survive that first attack."

"Almost didn't..." the demon growled.

"Then this next attack should end it."

"I don't think so!" The demon snapped, pouring fire at Byakuya.

Byakuya blocked it with a particularily thick swath of cherry blossoms.

The demon was really pissed off now.

"Fine! You showed me your true power, now its time for me to return the favor!"

Flames engulfed the demons, twisting around in a cyclone of heat. The demon didn't seem to be affected by it but the nearby stone buildings were melting.

Byakuya let cherry blossoms encircle him. Whatever the demon was doing, he didn't want it to hit him.

With a roar, the demon charged. Byakuya sent half of the cherry blossoms to attack, but the demons ran right through, the fire warding off the tiny blades.

Just as the demon was about the hit him, Byakuya shunpo'd out of the way, grabbing his gigai in the process.

"Bastard! Where'd you go?"

Byakuya laid his gigai on a nearby roof, then shunpo'd a few roofs away.

"Here."

"How'd you—?"

"A technique called shunpo." Byakuya replied vaguely.

"Cheater!"

"Only a fool would call me a 'cheater' for simply using a technique he doesn't know."

"Are you calling me a fool?"

"...Yes..."

"BASTARD!"

"How vulgar," Byakuya replied.

"Vulgar?"

"Disgusting," Byakuya clarified.

That really annoyed the demon.

Roaring, he jumped up where Byakuya was, whose eyes widened. Too late! Even shunpo could'nt move him out of the way in time.

Byakuya was thrown into the building below them, his captain haori**(4)** on fire. By the time he'd climbed out of the rubble, however, the fire had been put out, leaving an only slightly charged haori.

Severely annoyed now, to the point of almost anger, Byakuya caused cherry blossoms to blow up the rest of the house. Once again cherry blossoms engulfed the demon. But the demon jumped out once again, with only a few more cuts. His fire had staved off most of the blades.

The simple act of the demon surviving pushed Byakuya over the edge into anger.

"Senbonzakura Kageyoshi...Senkei..."

* * *

**1. Tessaiga:** Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father's sword. Was given to Inuyasha. Made of their father's fang (their father was a dog demon).

**2. Wind Scar:** Tessaiga's main attack. Cut through opponent's demonic energy in four wind-like slashs. The aftermath resembles as if a giant dog had scratched.

**3. Scatter, Senbonzakura:** Senbonzakura (_Thousand Cherry Blossoms_) is Byakuya's zanpakutō. Its release is "Scatter" which makes sense considering its shikai. Its shikai is the blade turning into...a thousand cherry blossoms. Byakuya—as a captain—has acheived Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi (_Vibrant Display of a Thousand Cherry Blossoms_). Byakuya's Bankai has three more stages after thee initial Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. Senkei (_Annilhilate_), Gokei (_Pivotal Scene_), and Shūkei (_Last Sight_) which is called the Hakuteiken (_White Emperor Sword_).

**4. Captain haori:** A haori is added to the uniform of the Soul Reapers who become captains. The haori are white which a black stripe-black circle-black stripe-black circle pattern on the hem. In the center of the back is the Gotei 13's insignia and the number of the squad the person is captain of.

* * *

**Nee-san: Cliffhangers...ya gotta love 'em.**

**Me: OK, Koh's in Squad Four, Kasumi's back at Squad Ten, Sayo's doing some training with Amaya and let's see...our next OC guest is Miyuki.  
**

**Miyuki: Joy.  
**


	5. 4 One Demon, Two Dogs and Three Reapers

**Me: Miyuki?**

**Miyuki: SSKA does not own Bleach or Inuyasha. HOWEVER, she does own the plot.**

**Me: And my OCs.**

**Miyuki: Watch it!**

**Me: Oh, by the way, I'm trying to keep everyone in character but there were some OOC. And thanks to the reviewers "love it", "Guest" and "Anonymous". **

**Miyuki: "love it" I just want you to know that SSKA had planned out why Byakuya had used Bankai so quickly. Ironically she'd already begun to write the explanation when she saw your review. It's 'cause-**

**Me: THEY'LL FIND OUT! NO SPOILERS!**

* * *

**4. One Resurrected Demon, Two Dogs and Three Shinigami**

_LAST TIME:_

_Byakuya was thrown into the building below them, his captain haori on fire. By the time he'd climbed out of the rubble, however, the fire had been put out, leaving an only slightly charged haori._

_Severely annoyed now, to the point of almost anger, Byakuya caused cherry blossoms to blow up the rest of the house. Once again cherry blossoms engulfed the demon. But the demon jumped out once again, with only a few more cuts. His fire had staved off most of the blades._

_The simple act of the demon surviving pushed Byakuya over the edge into anger._

_"Senbonzakura Kageyoshi...Senkei..."_

* * *

**-3PL-**

**-The Ram's Horn Demon POV-**

"Senbonzakura Kageyoshi...Senkei..." The man said.

The demon narrowed his eyes. The first time he'd attacked, he'd said "Senbonzakura", the second time it had been "Senbonzakura Kageyoshi". It seemed that the more words added to the name of his blade, the more powerful the attack. His flames wouldn't hold out for much longer. Unless he could kill the black-haired man quickly, he knew he'd be the one to lose.

The swathes of cherry blossoms rose up and surrounded the whole battle field. Then they become swords. Walls of glowing pink swords encircled the a large area.

"This is Senbonzakura Kageyoshi Senkei, which abadons all defense for superior offensive power." The man explained.

"Abadons all defense, huh?" The demon muttered. If he could land just a few hits...

The man raised up one of his hands and a sword detached itself from the barrier of swords. Gripping the sword by the hilt, the demon noticed that this new sword had stopped glowing and was an exact replica of the man's original katana.

_So all of these swords are copies of his sword? _The demon mused.

"What are you waiting for?" The man asked.

"An invitation!" The demon snapped, rushing forward, drawing a katana he'd been concealing for some time now.

The man blocked the katana with a grunt of surprise. Obviously he hadn't noticed it before. Raising a fiery clawed hand, the demon roared, "NOW DIE!"

* * *

**-1P-**

**-Shippo POV-**

Kagome was carrying me as we moved through the demon's village. Inuyasha let her down and our little group was traveling on foot, with the exception of Grandma Kaede, who was still riding her horse, Indra. Suddenly, a explosion of pink came from a house about a half a mile farther into the village.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha exclaimed.

"This spiritual prescene..." I heard Kagome mutter.

Suddenly, the mass of pink broke apart in green flames, and I began to realize that a battle was taking place.

Then the pink seperated into a circular wall of swords that seemed to surroud the entire battleground.

"It's a battle!" I exclaimed.

"You don't say Shippo!" Inuyasha snapped.

"It must be a woman fighting. What kind of man uses pink as a weapon?" Miroku said, which resulted in Sango hitting him with her Hirakotsu.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing, Sango..."

"Miroku has a point..." Inuyasha said.

"SIT! Inuyasha, that's sexist! It's not fair to automatically assume they're a woman just because of the color of their attacks!"

"YOUR attacks are pink."

"SIT!"

_Idiots. _I thought. When would they learn?

* * *

**-3PL-**

**-Byakuya Kuchiki-**

"NOW, DIE!" The demon roared.

"Bakudō Number Eight: Seki." Byakuya said, raising his fist. A small blue sphere appeared next to his fist, stopping the attack effortlessly.

"Damn it!" The demon snapped, jumping back.

Byakuya summoned another sword to his left hand. Armed with a sword in both hands, Byakuya attacked.

The first few attacks the demon managed to dodge, but then Byakuya stabbed the demon in the foot with his left sword.

"AARRGG!"

Leaving the sword their to pin the demon to the ground. Byakuya placed his finger over the demon's heart. He'd used this technique against the Substitue Soul Reaper's Bankai months ago.

"Hado #4: Byakurai," Byakuya said, pale lightning shooting out of his finger and through the demon's heart.

Dropping to one the knee, the demon still seemed to refuse to accept defeat.

"Very well," Byakuya said, raising his zanpakutō and slashing down.

The demon was no more.

* * *

**-3PL-**

**-Kaede-**

The barrier of swords suddenly disappeared. Did that mean that the user of that technique had been defeated? But no, the spiritual energy of the demon had been extinguished a few moments before, and the maker of the barrier's spiritual energy was still there. More likely they'd just decided to take down the barrier.

"I wonder if she's dead." Inuyasha commented.

"HE'S fine, I can still sense his spiritual prescene." Kagome snapped.

* * *

**-3PL-**

**-Byakuya Kuchiki-**

After sheathing the now-sealed Senbonzakura and getting back into his gigai. Byakuya hurried farther into the village. Hopefully that had been one of their most powerful warriors. Otherwise he knew this was going to be very hard.

* * *

**-3PL-**

**-Nemu Kurotsuchi-**

"Captain Kuchiki used Bankai," she said tonelessly.

"I wonder if he really came across a demon that powerful?"

"What's Bankai?"

"...One of our group of..._friends_...most powerful techniques." Nanao replied quickly.

"Oh."

* * *

**-3PL-**

**-Sesshōmaru-**

"Pathetic weaklings," Sesshōmaru scoffed as he walked by the lizard demons he'd just killed. Turning towards Rin's scent, he was vaguely surprised to a see the street full of already dead lizard demons. He'd seen the barrier of pink swords earlier, and all of these demons seemed to be were it was. His eyes were drawn to a red ram's horn demon that seemed to have been rather powerful, though not quite as powerful as a Daiyōkai**(1)** such as himself.

_I wonder if the swords killed all of these demons...especially that one._ Sesshōmaru mused. Then he stopped, narrowing his eyes.

No…that demon…shouldn't be exerting that much demonic aura after death, no matter HOW powerful it was. Going over to it, he recognized one of the underlying smells. The Shikon Jewel. But how had the demon gotten its hands of the Jewels of Four Souls? And then he stiffened as an all-too familiar scent reached his nostrils. Rin was in serious danger…Naraku was involved.

* * *

**-3PL-**

It shifted in its eternal slumber. The blood of a hundred sacrifices and the Shikon no Tama….were close….

* * *

**-Mayuri Kurotsuchi-**

"How interesting," he said, looking over Byakuya's battle. The question that nagged him is why had the demon forced Byakuya to use Bankai. Looking over the demon's spirit pressure in seemed to be on par with some of the Lieutenants, but still….

Then he thought of something-he hadn't checked _Byakuya's _spiritual pressure. He almost spit out his tea-which his zanpakutō spirit had kindly gotten him-when he saw that it had somehow dropped about 40%.

"What the HELL?!" he exclaimed.

Quickly examining the others' spiritual pressure, he saw that all of them were perfectly fine. Why had Byakuya's dropped?

* * *

**-3PL-**

**-Kagome Higurashi-**

Several more lizard demons suddenly jumped out at their group. Inuyasha let off another Wind Scar. But this time something was wrong. The wind wasn't nearly as fierce, and a few of the demons that were hit STILL survived.

"Huh? That worked before," Inuyasha said as the surviving lizard demons attacked again.

Yes-it _had_ worked before. It had worked fine during that skirmish just outside the village boundaries.

* * *

**-3PL-**

Yes! Now was the time! The blood of a hundred soaked into the village's dirt roads. The Shikon Jewel shards that it required were placed among its body and in the bodies of its most faithful followers. In joy and desire to return, it ROARED.

* * *

**-3PO-**

They all heard it. And all but the lizard demons wondered the same thing, "What's that?"

That was the roar of the once mighty lizard demon, Sandira. "Life!" It roared. "Give me more life!"

"BEGIN THE SACRIFICES!" The lizard demons howled. Except a few of the most elite group, the real fighters, not those weak lizards. The elite asked each other, "How'd it awaken if we haven't STARTED the sacrifices?"

* * *

**-3PL-**

**-Sesshōmaru-**

Sesshōmaru paused. He knew that voice….from memories long ago…when his father Inu No Taishō was still alive, a demon called Sandira had challenged his father and his mother. Even together they had had a hard time killing it, only because of its high-speed regeneration and tough scales made it almost impossible to injure. He KNEW that voice…"Curse you DOGS! I will return for you!" Sandira could not be allowed to live again, especially if Naraku was behind it.

* * *

**-3PL-**

**-Nanao Ise-**

As they began to lead the prisoners to the "execution grounds", Nanao finally got to see their god. They worshiped a dead demon. Or was it dead? Almost lazily it raised its great eyelid, revealing…Hollow eyes.

"Oh God no," she muttered, noticing white scales on its head. The demon had somehow become a Hollow hybrid.

* * *

**1. Daiyōkai: **_(Giant Demons)_ The most powerful kind of demons. Sesshōmaru, Inu No Taishō and Sadira are Daiyōkai.

**Me: Oh, this gonna be fun!**

**Miyuki: O.o**


	6. 5 Hollowed Demons!

**Byakuya: ...Where am I?**

**Sesshōmaru: ...**

**Me: HELLO!**

**Byakuya & Sesshōmaru: *glare* Who are you, brat?**

**Me: Now, now. That's not very nice.**

**Byakuya & Sesshōmaru: *glare***

**Me: Fine. Be that way. But will you at least read this? *hands over slip of paper to each one***

**Byakuya: ...Sesshōmaru is a big fluffy?**

**Sesshōmaru: ...Byakuya is the only man who can make pink look deadly?**

**Me: *sweatdrop* Wrong cue cards. Fine. I'll just do it. I'm Sayo Shihōin and I don't own Inuyasha or Bleach.**

**Sesshōmaru: You don't own Inuyasha?**

**Byakuya: You could go buy some detergent.**

**Me: *facepalm* Also, thanks to** _ariedling_**, **_dina_**,** _Tsukino Aisuru - A_**,** _love it_**,** _Anonymous_**,** **and** _Guest_ **for reviewing! **

* * *

_LAST TIME:_

_As they began to lead the prisoners to the "execution grounds", Nanao finally got to see their god. They worshiped a dead demon. Or was it dead? Almost lazily it raised its great eyelid, revealing…Hollow eyes._

_"Oh God no," she muttered, noticing white scales on its head. The demon had somehow become a Hollow hybrid._

* * *

**5. Hollowed Demons?!**

**-3PL: Nanao Ise-**

Nanao Ise was not having a good day. Being kidnapped, prepared to be sacrificed and NOW faced with a bizarre mixture her mortal enemy (Hollows) and her newest enemy (demons).

"A Hollow hybrid. Master Mayuri will be interested in this, especially after the disappointment being unable to experiment on Ichigo Kurosaki's Hollow and the other Vizards." Nemu commented.

"What IS that?! A Daiyōkai?" Jaken yelped.

Rin whimpered.

"Rin! Get behind me!" Nanao commanded. She couldn't protect Rin due to the chains that seemed to nullify spiritual powers, but if it attacked she could shield Rin.

"Life," the demon growled, "Give me life. Give me SOULS."

"I wonder why he still wants sacrifices," a lizard demon muttered, but loud enough so Nanao could hear, "they were meant to awaken him and he's obviously awake..."

The demon was already beginning to feel Hollow-like urges.

Slowly the demon began to snake its long neck towards them. Opening its mouth to show large, needle-like teeth dripping saliva...

"WIND SCAR!"

* * *

**-3PO-**

Inuyasha's attack hit the demon full on. A lesser demon would've died instantly...but Sandira just shrugged it off. Now the white scales covered Sandira's entire face, and were beginning to meld together in a mask.

But it had gotten the Daiyōkai's attention.

"Who are you, worm? What is your name?" Sandira asked, his voice slightly distorted in the way of a Hollow's.

"I'm Inuyasha, and I'm gonna slice you to bits!" The half-demon angrily replied.

"...Your scent, it's familiar..." Sandira murmured, lowering his head slightly towards Inuyasha.

Growling threateningly, Inuyasha raised Tessaiga in front of him. "Just try it, I dare you." He warned.

Sandira tilted his head to study Inuyasha though one of his giant eyes. Then suddenly he laughed. It was a deep rumbling sound that shook the ground. And as he raised his head to laugh, the Hollow hole in the center of his chest—which was also surrounded by white scales—became visible to everyone around.  
A woman screamed.

_'Great, they're scared of its Hollow hole but not of the monster itself?' _Nanao thought, inwardly rolling her eyes.

"You *laugh* really think *laugh* such a **_small_** sword *laugh* can stop me?!" Sandira said, laughing the entire time.

* * *

**-3PL: Nanao Ise-**

Pretty much everyone looked at Inuyasha's sword, which was about the same length as his body.

"Small?!" Jaken exclaimed.

"Shut up," Nanao snapped.

"You're not my master," Jaken replied.

"Yes, but right now these chains nullify everyone's powers. Therefore, I can kick you and you wouldn't be able to do anything about it, no matter what your powers once were." Nanao growled.

"..."

"I thought so."

"Sandira," the demon said suddenly, "My name Sandira."

"Why would I care?"

"...'cause I'm gonna kill you?" Sandira said uncertainly, almost as if unsure whether or not he was going to.

"This was not how he acted last time," a new voice said. Nanao whipped around to see a tall, white-haired man in a white-red kimono and armor, with what appeared to be a scarf made of white fur.

"Lord Sesshōmaru!" Rin exclaimed happily.

"What do you mean last time?" Nanao asked.

"This not the first time I've seen this demon. He was killed by my father and mother." The man, Lord Sesshōmaru, replied.

"But he's alive, Lord Sesshōmaru," Rin said, frowning.

Sesshōmaru looked down at Rin, "Things can come back to life, Rin."

Understanding flashed through Rin's eyes, along with something Nanao couldn't put her finger on.

"You said your parents killed it?" Nanao pressed.

"…That is correct."

"So do you know how to defeat it?"

"Yes."

"Well?"

"It's not alive," Sesshōmaru commented, fingering the hilt of a battered katana at his side. Next to that was an unsheathed broadsword.

"I know," Nanao replied, vaguely annoyed.

"Lord Sesshōmaru, are you planning on using the Tensaiga?" Jaken asked excitedly.

"..." Lord Sesshōmaru didn't seem to dignify that with a response.

"Tensaiga?"

"It's a sword that kills beings from other worlds," Jaken explained.

Nanao paled and backed up slightly.

"How interesting," Nemu said quietly, eyeing the sword with both caution and curiosity, "It won't work though. Not on this Hollow." She spoke too quietly for any but Nanao to hear.

Nanao shot her a glance, "What do you mean, Nemu?"

"This Hollow seems to be a mixture of a demon and a Hollow, true, which both should be vulnerable to Tensaiga. But based on everything I've heard, that Hollow has too powerful of a connection to this world to be severed so easily." Nemu explained.

Sesshōmaru looked at them, almost as if he'd heard the conversation, then said, "Stay back." And with that he was gone, moving at a speed that rivaled Shunpo.

"Where is Captain Kuchiki?" Nanao thought out loud, looking around.

* * *

**-3PL: Byakuya Kuchiki-**

Byakuya had the unfortunate luck to approach the battle from behind the Hollowed demon. He'd felt the powerful spiritual pressures up ahead, and had left his gikongan in charge of his body.

When he got close enough, he'd seen the demon's Hollow eyes, the hole in its chest and its white face. It had annoyed him immensely that a world supposedly without Hollow had somehow produced one. Which begged the question: Did the intrusion of Shinigami have something to do with it?

_'Probably,' _he answered himself.

Then he used shunpo to get past the battle. He needed to make sure the prisoners were fine first.

* * *

**-3PO-**

Byakuya appeared just in front of Nanao, Nemu, Rin and Jaken, who were clumped up in the front of the group of prisoners.

Rin squealed in fright at his slightly bloody appearance.

"Captain Kuchiki, did you get into a fight?" Nanao asked, concerned.

Byakuya glanced at her, "Yes."

"Captain Kuchiki, will you break these chains for us, please?"

"Why didn't you use Kidō?"

"The chains nullify Kidō."

Byakuya used Senbonzakura to break Nanao, Nemu and Rin's chains. On Nanao's request he refrained from breaking Jaken's. Not that he wanted to help a demon anyway.

"Lieutenant Kurotsuchi, take care of the prisoners. Lieutenant Ise leave your gigai, we need to kill that Hollow."

"I know. And Captain Kuchiki," she added.

"Yes?"

"That's a demon."

He glanced at her, "I figured."

* * *

**-3PL: Inuyasha-**

Inuyasha was not enjoying the battle. All of his Wind Scars had been swatted aside like flies, and one the one occasion he'd actually managed to cut the demon, a white cloud of steam had risen from the cut and the next moment it was gone, replaced by white scales.

"Is it turning albino or something?" Shippo had muttered.

And now his older brother Sesshōmaru had joined the battle, and much to everyone's surprise, was faring no better.

"Hadō #33: Sōkatsui!" Two voices, male and female, called.

_'What the hell?'_ Inuyasha thought as a flash of blue fire hit Sandira.

And even more surprising was the wide cracks in the white scales that Sandira now sported.

"Shinigami," Sandira hissed, his voice suddenly distorted and his eyes glowing yellow against black. Then the demon seemed to shake himself.

"WHO DID THAT?!" He roared.

"We did," a woman's voice called out.

Inuyasha, the demon and pretty much everyone turned to see a man and a woman in black kimonos, the man also in a white haori, facing them. The woman also wore an odd item on her face, across her eyes.

"Who. Are. You?" The demon asked, obviously trying to keep its temper in check.

"Byakuya Kuchiki, and this is Nanao Ise," the man said calmly.

"I knew I'd seen him before!" Kagome suddenly exclaimed.

"Huh?" Inuyasha asked, turning to see Miroku and Sango nodding.

"Yes, he was the man with gave that jewel shard to." Miroku recalled.

"Wait, you gave away a jewel shard?!"

"It wasn't a jewel shard of the Jewel of Four Souls, Inuyasha," Sango said calmly.

"Still, I had no idea he had spiritual powers," Kagome admitted.

"And that woman wasn't with him before," Miroku noted.

"Does it matter?" Kaede asked, almost impatient.

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" Sandira snarled, and the group turned their attention back to the demon.

"No." Byakuya replied, drawing his katana. The woman held her hands in front of her.

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! Hadō #63: Raikōhō!" Nanao chanted, yellow energy gathering around her hands. After finishing, the yellow energy shot off in a lightning-like attack.

It was obvious to Inuyasha that this attack was more powerful—at least twice as powerful—than the last attack. But because only one of them was attacking, it did only slightly more damage. But this time the attack drew blood, and the cloud of steam came and covered the wound, but when it dissipated, the wound was still there.

_'What is it? What is the difference between our powers that mine do nothing or immediately healed and theirs, which is actually making progress?'_ Inuyasha wondered, hefting Tessaiga up high.

"WIND SCAR!" He aimed for the cracks in the demon's white armor.

* * *

**-1P: Sandira-**

When I'd awoken, I'd felt more powerful than I had ever felt. Except that I couldn't _remember_ how powerful I'd ever been. In the process of being reborn I'd lost to my memories and instead had gained the urge to eat souls. I could feel the demonic barrier my followers had erected giving me strength. Instead of keeping intruders out, it stole some of their spirit energy or demonic aura depending on which they had. Then it distributed it to me and the strongest of my followers. I remember how as I was just waking, I'd felt strange spirit energy flow into me, ripping a hole in my chest that didn't hurt, making my eyes tingle, and making some of my scales white.

And now the source of that spirit energy stood in front of me, two people in strange black kimonos. I felt like I should know them, know what they _**were**_. But the names Byakuya Kuchiki and Nanao Ise meant nothing to me. Maybe it had to do with my memory loss? And the strange attacks they had! It actually did _damage_ to me. I'd never seen a priest or priestess use attacks like that, and they had no demonic aura.

Sudden pain erupted from one of my white spots. I looked down at it, it looked as if a giant dog had scratched my body. A scent that I _knew_ but I could not _remember_ drifted to my nostrils. I saw that attack had come from one of the other worms, the half-demon who'd introduced himself as Inuyasha. A voice echoed in my head, _'See why you are weaker than me?'_ It was a voice from long ago, that much I knew. But who had mocked me so?

"Dog," I hissed, hatred that I did not understand blossomed in me.

* * *

**-3PL: Sesshōmaru-****  
**

"Dog," Sandira hissed, eyes burning with hatred.

Sesshōmaru had suspected that Sandira had lost his memories, but now either he'd regained them or Inuyasha had just really pissed him off.

The woman who'd ignored her position and questioned him repeatedly had changed clothes and attacked Sandira with a man in a white haori. He'd been surprised to see such a weak-looking woman shoot off such powerful attacks, especially considering she wasn't a demon. And the man's scent was the one that had been on the ram's horned demon. Obviously there was more to the two than appearances showed. And more importantly, Sesshōmaru had noted that Tensaiga was reacting to them, as if they were spirits.

He narrowed his eyes. More to them than appearances showed indeed...

* * *

**-1P: Nanao Ise-**

When the demon, Sandira, had turned his attention back to the boy, Inuyasha, who'd first attacked it, I had panicked. Then I remembered that Inuyasha had been holding his own for sometime.

"Captain Kuchiki," I said, "are you going to release your zanpakutō now?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"Scatter..."

* * *

**Me: I was going to write more, but this seemed like a good place to stop and I knew you guys would want me to update soon.**

**Miyuki: It's good so far. And your OC Sandira seems a little powerful, doesn't he?  
**

**Hyōrinmaru: Sandira is a hybrid of a Hollow and a demon that stood up to the former Lord of the West and his mate, of course he's powerful.  
**

**Miyuki: How'd you know that?  
**

**Hyōrinmaru: I do my research.  
**

**Me: I don't blame you. It _can_ get boring sitting in an inner world with nothing to do (not that I'd know) but watching/reading Inuyasha in your spare time?  
**

**Hyōrinmaru: I do not watch anime or read manga. I research and train.  
**

**Me: Yeah right.  
**


	7. 6 Sandira's Misfortune

**Me: I just realized something.**

**Miyuki: What?**

**Me: I like leaving my readers hanging.**

**Hyōrinmaru: You just realized that?**

**Me: Good thing I _don't_ own Inuyasha or Bleach. The only thing I own that currently is in Shinigami Through Time and Space is Sandira, my newest OC.^^**

**Hyōrinmaru: *bows* We would like to thank **_The purple jade_ **and **_Tsukino Aisuru-A_** for reviewing. Now please enjoy the following chapter of Shinigami Through Time and Space.**

**Me: Also, the meaning of the names will be in the Author's Note at the bottom.**

* * *

**6. Sandira's Misfortune**

_LAST TIME: (From Nanao's POV)_

_"Captain Kuchiki," I said, "are you going to release your zanpakutō now?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Good."_

_"Scatter..."_

* * *

**-3PO-**

"…Senbon—" Suddenly the demon, Sandira, roared in fury, cutting Byakuya off.

"I REMEMBER NOW! DOGS!" Fury practically dripped off of Sandira's words. The demon's eyes burned with unnatural light, and the Shinigami could feel his spiritual pressure rising, and it was filled with murderous intent.

The demon brought himself up to full height, rearing up on his hind legs. He was at least a thousand feet long, many of the people who'd stuck around realized.

By now, lizard demons and sacrifices alike were running away from the fearsome demon, with the exception of Inuyasha's group, Sesshōmaru's group, the Shinigami, the more elite and loyal demons of Sandira's allies and a few curious sacrifices.

"YOUR KIND MURDERED ME! MY TRIBE WAS ATTACKED BY YOUR FILTH AND WHEN I DEMANDED COMPENSATION, THE **_GREAT _**DOG GENERAL KILLED ME!"

Inuyasha hesitated, he wasn't sure how much of that was true, but it was a valid reason to be angry, though it didn't excuse sacrificing innocent lives.

Sesshōmaru was a little surprised. He'd been in his mother's castle during the battle, and all he'd heard was Sandira's vow to get revenge. His mother had filled him in on the rest. He was aware that his mother wasn't the best source of information, but at the time it was all he'd had to go on.

Breathing out small tendrils of sparkling clouds of what looked like steam from his mouth, the demon continued.

* * *

**-1P: Sandira-**

_"You people probably don't understand what the Tokage Tribe, as we prefer to be called, has been through. Many of us carry snake demon blood in our veins as well as our own, which is why we protect that distinction vigilantly. Thousands of years ago, before the Dog General was born, the lizard and snake demons lived together, indistinguishable except for our limbs. My father, Shi no Sukeeru, and the leader of the snake demon tribe, Yuuga no Doku, ruled the Southern lands completely undisturbed._

_ Until one day, Yuuga hungered for more power. I was very young, only a decade or so old when, less than a centaury ago, Yuuga made her move. She killed Sukeeru in a fit of greed, and began a war between our tribes. But with a fully-fledged Daiyōkai on their side, the snakes inevitably won. The Tokage suffered under the Hebi for years, until I challenged Yuuga and won. I was only just recovering from my injuries when the Tokage offered to make me their leader. Of course I accepted, it was only fair after all. _

_Then,"_ I paused, letting a bitter tone enter my words, _"then, dog demons killed many of our tribe. Warriors, females, elderly, children, they made no distinction. Their actions were fueled by a bloodlust we did not understand. We drove them out, of course. I admit that I refused to wait until my injuries healed. Injustice and confusion was what I felt when I challenged Inu no Taishō. Even injured I held my own against him, and his mate, who had entered the fight. And I was cut down! I don't remember anything after that, though I know I said something to the dogs, I'm not quite sure what words escaped me in my rage. And thus I died."_ Finishing, I noticed that everyone was paying attention to me now: the dogs, the black-robed freaks, the priestesses, the monk, the demons—everyone. "And now, I have the chance to avenge my fallen comrades. And just so you know: I did not order the sacrifices. I did not order this change to be wrought on me. But either way, I'll make use of my life, and kill you dogs!" And with that, I went on the offensive for the first time since the beginning of the battle.

* * *

**-3PL: Kagome Higurashi-**

After hearing Sandira's sob story, Kagome wasn't sure she could fight him with a clear conscience anymore. It was obvious to her he was telling the truth. And after he'd started ranting about dogs, Kagome knew that Inuyasha would be in some serious danger. So when Sandira announced he was going to kill the dog demons and then pounced forward, Kagome's heart caught in her throat.

Then she realized that Sandira had jumped in a different direction—towards Sesshōmaru. Sandira's jaws parted and a sheet of white mist that caught the sun's rays and sparkled, poured out from his mouth. Everything the mist touched was slowly freezing over, then shattering, leaving behind only remnants of what each frozen item had been before. It almost touched Sesshōmaru, but he used Tōkijin's **(1)** attack, Kenatsu, to knock it aside. But Sandira let his clawed foot slash down towards him.

"DIE!"

* * *

**-3PL: Byakuya Kuchiki-**

Byakuya could care less whether or not the (apparently dog) demon died. But this was a powerful Hollow/Demon. He'd had to use Bankai on one of the demon's subordinates. Byakuya Kuchiki, while prideful, was no fool. He realized that he needed all the allies he could get. So…

"Bankai. Scatter, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi Senkei," Byakuya stated quite clearly, not wasting any time. A barrier of pink swords stopped the demon's foot. But Byakuya could feel the strain that demon was putting on his Bankai.

"You stopped Sandira!" Nanao exclaimed, slight surprise in her voice.

Sandira—was that the demon's name?

"GAAAH," the demon roared, jumping backward, which caused a small earthquake.

* * *

**-3PL: Inuyasha-**

"I **_told _**you it was a man using the pink attacks, didn't I, Inuyasha?" Kagome bragged.

"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha replied half-heartedly.

* * *

**-3PL: Byakuya Kuchiki-**

"Damn it," the demon—_Sandira_—swore, "whose attack was that?"

"Mine," Byakuya answered, calling on of his Senbonzakura copies into his right hand.

"Don't you understand why I want to kill them?" Sandira asked, almost _whined_, "They killed my tribe!"

"Some of your tribe are still alive. Besides Sesshōmaru and I had nothing to do with the massacre of your tribe!" Inuyasha snapped.

"Massacre, that's a good word for it," Sandira replied, glaring at Inuyasha, but hate fading from his eyes.

"Sandira," Byakuya called to the demon, who turned to him, "you're dead. You were murdered and you shouldn't have died, I understand, but you won't gain any satisfaction living a false life. Just rest in peace."

Sandira snorted. "As if it's that simple. You don't really get it do you? I know what you are now. I know what I am. A Hollow. This knowledge has been slowly gathering inside of me until now. I'm perfectly aware that every second that passes I get closer to losing control and becoming a true Hollow." The demon shifted slightly.

"I'm honestly not violent by nature but *cough* this Hollow *cough* has been *cough* trying to *cough*—" Sandira suddenly lapsed into a coughing fit, and white, liquid Hollow mask poured out of his mouth. Instead of gravity pulling it down, the liquid mask began to cover his entire body, and now Sandira's newfound spiritual pressure was beginning to merge with his demonic aura. A roar escaped the wretched demon's jaws, layered, both deep and high pitched. Sandira's Hollow transformation can been completed.

"What happened?!" Byakuya heard a voice exclaim. He ignored it. For now he was focused on the out-of-control Hollow. Suddenly liquid mask—what was left of it—rose up from Sandira's back, creating the outlines of wings, which were quickly filled in. The dragon hollow whipped his tail and slammed it into the half-demon in the red kimono.

A faint "Oof" could be heard as the boy was flung into a nearby hut. The Hollow let loose another roar, this one accompanied by a Cero**(2)**. The Hollow began charging a pale blue Cero with the tip of one of his claws—no, _talons_—and Sandira fired randomly, causing a huge explosion in the center of the village.

Byakuya sent an attack from his Bankai at the demon, almost synchronized with Inuyasha's Wind Scar, Sesshōmaru's Dragon Strike, Kagome's Sacred Arrow, and Nanao's Raikōhō. After being hit by all these attacks in quick succession, Sandira sank to the ground, only to struggle up again. Byakuya narrowed his eyes, Sandira was at least Adjuchas level, and a powerful one at that. And now there were cracks in his mask.

Several lizard demons approached their leader, slightly horrified. Before Byakuya could shout a warning, Sandira used his tail to knock out their souls, then he devoured them. Now the cracks had spread to various other parts of Sandira's body. And it was becoming increasingly obvious they weren't being caused by the damage being dealt to him by his attackers.

By now, the lizard demons had realized that something was SERIOUSLY messed up with their master, and were rushing forward like idiots. One by one Sandira devoured their souls, lizard demons, ram's horn demons, five-armed demons, whip-tailed demons and imp demons alike. Soon the demons had either fled or been devoured, and with exception of the people fighting Sandira, the village had been abandoned.

And suddenly Sandira's white form shattered. At first Byakuya was confused, then he realized what had happened. He'd heard stories of Hollows turning into Arrancar naturally, but he'd never seen such an Arrancar personally. Byakuya could feel Sandira's spiritual pressure somewhere behind a few houses, but to anyone but the Shinigami, it looked like Sandira had simply exploded.

* * *

**1. ****Tōkijin:** _(Demon Fighting God) _Sesshōmaru's broadsword. Made from the fang of a powerful demon. It's an evil sword and only Sesshōmaru can wield it. It has two major attacks, **Kenatsu** and **Sōryūha (Dragon Strike)**. They fire blue energy from the blade. Kenatsu is a weaker version of Sōryūha, which can take the form of a dragon during the attack's use.

**2. ****Cero **_(Zero) _An attack used by powerful Hollows. It's a beam of energy of varying colors, depending on the Hollow. The most common color is red. A variant of this attack is **Bala** which is twenty times faster than Cero, but also twenty times weaker.

* * *

_Tokage-Lizard_

_Hebi-Snake  
_

___Shi no Sukeeru_-Scales of Death  


___Yuuga no Doku_-Graceful Poison  


_Inu no Taishō-Dog General  
_

* * *

**Me: Poor Sandira! I bet you people weren't expecting Sandira to survive this! And you probably weren't expecting the Arrancar surprise either.**

**Sandira: As long as I get spared future torture.  
**

**Me: *blush* Uh, Sandira, put some clothes on.  
**

**Sandira: Clothes?  
**


	8. 7 The Arrancar and the SilverEyed Girl

**Me: So in the last reviews, we got some sympathy for Sandira. Bet you people were expecting him to be some jerk demon or something.**

**Sandira: I resent that.**

**Me: I said "expecting".**

**Sandira: Haven't I been through enough?**

**Me: Nope.^^**

**Sandira: I'm beginning to see why Sayo dislikes you.**

**Sayo: Dislikes? Try "hates". **

**Me: **

**Sayo: Man up.**

**Me: I'm a girl.**

**Sandira: Woman up.**

**Me: OK, to cut my abuse short let's thank the reviewers and do the disclaim.**

**Sandira: Thanks to **_wr183_**, **_ultima-owner_**, **_DGtnsl_**, **_love it_**, and **_Tsukino Aisuru – A_**.**

**Sayo: SSKA doesn't own Inuyasha or Bleach.**

* * *

**7. The Arrancar and the Silver-eyed Girl  
**

_LAST TIME:_

_And suddenly Sandira's white form shattered. At first Byakuya was confused, then he realized what had happened. He'd heard stories of Hollows turning into Arrancar naturally, but he'd never seen such an Arrancar personally. Byakuya could feel Sandira's spiritual pressure somewhere behind a few houses, but to anyone but the Shinigami, it looked like Sandira had simply exploded._

* * *

-3PL: Inuyasha-

"What the hell just happened?" Inuyasha bit out.

"It appears that whatever power it was using had too much of a strain on the demon's body," Kaede began carefully, "But not it's soul. The soul's energy is still active—"

"Hang on. Are you telling me the soul's wandering around with no body?" Sango interrupted.

"Yes. However—"

"But we should still be able to see it!" Kagome exclaimed.

"If ye would let me finish! However I think that when the soul was forced out of the demon's body, it was literally flung a little way's away." Kaede explained.

"But that demon's soul was massive. We should still be able to see it." Miroku pointed out.

"I do not understand that meself." Kaede admitted.

Inuyasha sheathed Tessaiga. "Can we just assume it's dead?"

"No! Because if it's not then innocent people will be in danger!" Kagome scolded.

* * *

-3PL: Byakuya Kuchiki-

"Lieutenant Ise," Byakuya called.

"Yes, Captain Kuchiki?" Nanao asked.

"Tell Lieutenant Kurotsuchi to look for survivors—other than the ones that fought the demon, Sandira. Then follow after me. We need to find Sandira's Arrancar self."

"Of course, Captain Kuchiki!" Nanao replied before she left to obediently do as she was bid.

After making sure that Nanao was doing her job, Byakuya left quickly in the direction of Sandira's suffering spiritual pressure.

He passed many soulless demon corpses, which vaguely disgusted him, but after decades of battles and seeing death, it didn't truly bother him anymore.

Finally he saw a humanoid soul among the corpses. Sandira's body truly had been destroyed, and—thankfully—his soul's struggle to remain in the plane of existence had cost him much of his powers. But not all of Sandira's powers had been exhausted. Byakuya could currently sense the strength of a Lieutenant—or maybe a weak Captain—from him.

If Sandira decided to be hostile, Byakuya could take him. Or he hoped he could. He felt strangely exhausted, like he'd used more of his spiritual energy than he had.

Byakuya moved towards the Arrancar, and the first thing he noticed was that Sandira had bright mid-back length green hair in a ponytail that stood out against his tanned skin. The second thing Byakuya noticed was that Sandira had nothing—not even clothes—but his mask remains (a circlet of white bone around his head) and his zanpakutō in its black sheath. This gave him full view of Sandira's Hollow hole, which was actually where the human heart could be found. Sighing, Byakuya took off his haori, laying on Sandira.

Then he left to find his gigai. When he found his gigai cowering in a corner, he ordered the gikongan to follow him and he made his towards Sandira.

When they got there, Nanao had yet to arrive, so Byakuya and his gigai took some of his extra clothes and put them on Sandira, so that he was clothed in something similar to the local's attire.

Byakuya put his haori back on, almost glaring at the thin Arrancar. That was another thing: the Arrancar was tall but he was extremely skinny and willowy.

"Tamashii. Stay here. Watch over that Arrancar. I want to go see if Lieutenant Ise or Lieutenant Kurotsuchi are near here." Byakuya ordered his gikongan.

"Of course, Lord Kuchiki," Tamashii answered.

* * *

-3PL-

Fear clutched the little girl's heart. She didn't know why she hadn't run away with the others. Instead she'd chosen to watch the fearsome battle. At one point, she'd feared that the lizard demon, Sandira as he had introduced himself, would suck out her soul. But the people who had fought Sandira had prevented that, though they probably hadn't noticed her.

Shinigami. _Death god. _That's what Sandira had growled out as he'd been hit at first by the woman and man's attacks. But she knew that Sandira had just said that because he'd sensed his impending doom. Maybe he'd feared that the Shinigami had come for him? Because there was no way that those two were gods of death. _No way._

She figured she was one of the only ones to give thought to that term—after all most of the people there at the time had been caught up in the heat of battle.

"I—I just want my mother," the girl managed to choke out. And with that Gina Kobayashi closed her gray—almost silver—eyes and sank to her knees in a sob.

"I just want to go back! Is that too much to ask?!" She sobbed out angrily. A surviving lizard demon must've heard her, because it suddenly appeared before her.

"Maybe it is, considering you won't be alive to much longer." The lizard demon hissed out with a half-crazed look in his eyes.

Squealing in terror, the young girl ran like hell in a random direction.

* * *

-3PL: Sandira-

"Get out of my face, bastard," Sandira snapped at the man in front of him. The man resembled Byakuya Kuchiki, who'd fought him, but this person had outright admitted to not being the Shinigami. The man he was now glaring at with bright green eyes.

"My name's not 'bastard,' it's Tamashii." The man snapped.

"Get out of my face, Tamashii," Sandira growled.

Tamashii looked satisfied. "That wasn't too hard, was it?"

"…"

"Anyway. You're Sandira, right?"

"Yeah…"

"What's your surname?"

"Don't got one." Sandira replied, annoyed.

"…How about—"

"And I don't _want_ one!"

"—Tokage?"

"Will you shut up if I say yes?"

"Yep!"

"Fine. I'll be Sandira 'Tokage'."

Looking satisfied for now, Tamashii _finally_ shut up.

"So Sandira…"

"GAAH!"

* * *

-3PL: Gina Kobayashi-

Running in front of a crazed demon was not much better than being _sacrificed_ to a crazed demon. But it was better. At least this way she had a slim chance of survival. A flying object flew past her head. Slim chance.

* * *

-3PL: Sandira '_Tokage'_-

Sandira had stood up announcing that he was feeling much now. Then he tried to take a step forward.

"DAMMIT! HOW DO YOU TWO-LEGGEDS WALK ON THESE FUCKING LEGS?!" Sandira exclaimed, the he proceeded to swear quite colorfully until Tamashii commented that he could paint a rainbow with his vocabulary. Which led to Sandira throwing his zanpakutō at him.

"Hey, Sandira, do you even know the name your zanpakutō?"

Sandira hesitating before saying, "I think it's Sombra de Fuego, or at least that feels right…"

"Huh. What a weird name, let's shorten it to…Sombra! Hey, Do you know your release?"

"…No…"

_"Aaaaaah!"_ A little girl's scream reached their ears. Before he even realized what he was doing, he'd used Sonído instinctively, grabbed his zanpakutō and appeared right before the source of the screaming, a little black-haired girl with silver eyes being chased by a half-insane lizard demon.

"Stop this at once," Sandira commanded, for the first time realizing that his voice was not his own.

"Who are you?" His subordinate sneered.

"Sandira…Tokage."

"Nuh-uh. Lord Sandira went insane, destroyed our village and then shattered." The demon said this nonchalantly, almost as if it didn't care about what had happened to his lord.

"Regardless, let the girl go," Sandira commanded. He didn't know why he was protecting this girl from one of his own tribe!

"Are you going to make me?" The demon taunted, pulling out a black katana that Sandira recognized as belonging to one of his elite, Andiyla the Fast.

"How'd you get that sword? It belongs to Andiyla!"

"Before Sandira killed her," the demon replied, looking confused at how Sandira knew Andiyla's name. Sandira felt numb inside. He known he'd destroyed the village when he'd lost control, but he'd _killed_ some of his followers as well?

"You shouldn't steal from the dead," Sandira hissed suddenly, drawing Sombra. He couldn't believe he was going to do this. But he would. This demon was insane. Sandira could see it in his eyes. This demon no longer had a grip on reality.

"Oh! Did I make you mad?"

"Stay back," Sandira instructed the girl, pushing past her.

The girl nodded, running towards Tamashii, who'd just made an appearance.

The demon rushed forward Andiyla's sword held out in front of him. Some instinct told him to hold out his hand, and he caught the sword. Both of the warriors looked surprised for a moment before the former Daiyōkai smiled sadly and stabbed the demon in the chest with Sombra.

"I'm sorry…friend."

The numbness in Sandira just increased as he watched the demon die in front of him.

"Girl!" He suddenly yelled.

"Y-yes?"

"I'm Sandira Tokage, the man next to you is Tamashii. And you are?"

"Gina Kobayashi," the girl squeaked out.

"Fine." Sandira nodded at her and then collapsed, not even sheathing his zanpakutō.

* * *

-3PL: Gina Kobayashi-

"Fine," the man said, and then he collapsed, not even sheathing his sword.

"Is he going to be okay?!" Gina fretted running over to the man, who she noted was between fifteen and sixteen—about the same age as her older brother, before he'd been killed in a village raid years back.

"He's fine. He was still recovering when he challenged that demon. With the added strain of using Sonído and then that iron skin thing that Arrancar have—I think it was called Hierro?—he just collapsed." Tamashii explained, coming over a kicking Sandira in the side, receiving a grunt.

"See? He's alive."

"Don't kick him! You said he's injured!" Gina scolded.

"Yeah. And he's already dead."

"But…you said he's alive…"

"Uh! He is…I guess! But, um, you see…"

"Tamashii, who's that girl?" The voice of the man who'd challenged Sandira said.

_Wasn't his name…Byakuya Kuchiki?_ Gina thought as the man who looked like Tamashii stepped in her line of vision.

* * *

-3PL: Sesshōmaru-

As Sesshōmaru saw the two garbed in black rushing to and fro, he figured that they were cleaning up the mess they'd made—and trying to hide Sandira, whose scent and miasma **(A/N: miasma=physical manifestation of a demonic aura)** were still strong.

Sesshōmaru was no fool. The demon they'd been fighting was still alive, just—different, somehow. But it was not his problem.

"Rin! Jaken! Let's go," Sesshōmaru commanded, glancing at his charges before leaving.

"Yes, Lord Sesshōmaru!"

* * *

-3PL: Nemu Kurotsuchi-

Nemu had found no other survivors, except for traces of a small girl. Which she was currently following. Orders were orders.

* * *

-3PL: Byakuya Kuchiki-

The girl looked a little startled by his appearance, but she quickly took a step forward and bowed. "My name is Gina Kobayashi!"

"This spiritual energy," Byakuya murmured. It was similar to the woman who had requested him to save her daughter. Surely it couldn't be that simple…Now that he was looking for it, they looked similar, too. The same black hair, the small lean frame. But the girl had silvery gray eyes instead her mother's blue ones.

"Nanao is on her way, and Nemu is also making her way here," Byakuya said suddenly to his gikongan. "When they get here, they'll go through the Wormhole with Sandira so that he can be stabilized and studied. And it could be useful to have an Arrancar on our side during the Winter War. Then I'll take the girl to her mother, who I met on the way here."

After Tamashii had acknowledged this, Byakuya, much to Gina's amazement, entered his gigai.

"CAPTAIN KUCHIKI!" Byakuya turned to see Nanao and Nemu hurrying towards him.

"Lieutenant Ise, Lieutenant Kurotsuchi, would take Sandira through the Wormhole? He needs to be stabilized and I'm sure some people would love to get there hands on a research specimen like him. Lieutenant Ise," he added.

"Yes?"

"Make sure he gets to Kisuke Urahara, not Captain Kurotsuchi."

"Understood."

"Should we wait for the Arrancar to wake up?" Nemu asked.

"…No. Between the two of you, you can carry him through the Wormhole."

"Alright."

Nemu and Nanao hefted Sandira between the two of them, and Byakuya opened a small Wormhole with one of his two Time Crystals, letting the two Lieutenants and the Arrancar go inside. As soon as they were in, he shut the portal.

"What was that?!" A voice yelled.

Byakuya turned to see one of the people who'd attacked Sandira with him. The one with long white hair, dog-ears and golden eyes. Seconds later he was joined by his companions.

"What was what, Inuyasha?" A small, childish voice asked, as a head popped up from the basket of a bicycle (why was there a bicycle in this time period anyway?).

"That guy just opened a weird looking red portal!"

So he'd seen the Wormhole. Well that wasn't good.

* * *

**Me: This is a good place to stop. And by the way, 'well that wasn't good' is the understatement of the month, Byakuya. The Sandira Arc is over, now we're moving into the … Arc. I'll name it after I finish it. I always do.**

**Sayo: Even if she doesn't share the name of her arcs, she names them.**

**Amaya: Remember that one Arc for the—**

**Me: If you're going to say what I think you're going to say…don't say it.**

**Amaya: *sweatdrop* Okay, fine.**


	9. 8 Meetings, Indirect and Direct

**Me: It's confusing when I switch up dub-sub terms, I know. I'll keep it to a minimum, but it WILL happen. Gomen! *Ducks to avoid various attacks***

**Sayo: You deserved all of that. SSKA does not own Bleach (though she has some in her house) or Inuyasha.**

**Koh: I'M OUTTA SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS! Oh…uh, hi…thanks to…**_ultima-owner_**, **_Tsukino Aisuru-A_**, **_DGtnsl_ **and** _arandomreviewer_** for reviewing. Heheh.****  
**

**Zangetsu: SSKA, aren't you forgetting something?**

**Me: Oh yeah! To **_arandomreviewer_**:**

**1) Looked for grammar error. Couldn't find it. Want to find it. WILL FIND IT. And then correct it. *Cue close-up on my determined face & dramatic music***

**2) I jump POV at strategic points to (at times) keep the suspense going instead of ending the chapter, and/or to show the same scene from different viewpoints, to show what one character noticed that maybe another one didn't. And I know I'm better at 3****rd**** person than at 1****st****, which is why I try to keep 1****st**** to a minimum.**

**3) THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING YOUR MIND!**

* * *

**8. Meetings, Indirect and Direct**_  
_

_LAST TIME:_

_"Should we wait for the Arrancar to wake up?" Nemu asked._

_"…No. Between the two of you, you can carry him through the Wormhole."_

_"Alright."_

_Nemu and Nanao hefted Sandira between the two of them, and Byakuya opened a small Wormhole with one of his two Time Crystals, letting the two Lieutenants and the Arrancar go inside. As soon as they were in, he shut the portal._

_"What was that?!" A voice yelled._

_Byakuya turned to see one of the people who'd attacked Sandira with him. The one with long white hair, dog-ears and golden eyes. Seconds later he was joined by his companions._

_"What was what, Inuyasha?" A small, childish voice asked, as a head popped up from the basket of a bicycle (why was there a bicycle in this time period anyway?)._

_"That guy just opened a weird looking red portal!"_

_So he'd seen the Wormhole. Well that wasn't good._

* * *

**-3PL: Inuyasha-**

In the heat of battle, Inuyasha hadn't noticed it, but now as he looked at the suspicious man he noticed the smell of sakura and…death—though considering they'd just fought a battle that was unsurprising—on the man.

"Tell me what's going on! You're up to no good!" He growled at Byakuya.

* * *

**-3PO-**

Byakuya was unsure of what to do for a moment. He sure as hell couldn't kill them for no reason, but he couldn't ignore the fact that one of them had seen the Wormhole open up. Opening up his mouth the reply…

"What portal?" A small, girlish voice asked. Gina wasn't stupid, despite her lack of age. Realizing that it wouldn't do for this half-demon to pry into the affairs of her savior, she did that smartest thing she could think of: deny, deny, deny.

"The one that was there just a second ago!" Inuyasha exclaimed, "I can still smell its scent in the air!"

"…Are you a demon?" Gina asked suddenly, half-glaring at the ears on Inuyasha's head.

"I'm a _half_-demon, kid," Inuyasha replied, miffed, "now stop changing the subject!"

"Are you sure you're okay, Mr. Half-Demon?" Gina said, thinking quickly, "That lizard demon threw you into a building during the battle, didn't he? Are you sure you weren't hurt?"

"Injuries to the head are no fooling matter," Byakuya added sagely, catching on quickly.

"But—what? I—no! I'm perfectly fine, stupid!" Inuyasha snapped.

"Stupid?" Gina asked, eyes welling up with tears. She hadn't had to fake-cry since her brother died, but before his death it had worked _wonders_ for when she wanted her way or making him feel guilty about something.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome snapped, "You made her cry!"

"Wha—no! Kagome, it wasn't my—"

"SIT!" Inuyasha face-planted into the dirt.

"SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! **_SIT!_**"

Gina and Byakuya watched in fascination as the force of the "sit" commands slowly forced the half-demon into the ground.

"Damn you…" Inuyasha muttered, his voice muffled by the ground.

"We have to leave you now," Byakuya said, almost apologetically, "I need to take…Gina here to her mother."

"Oh, I understand. I hope you forgive Inuyasha. He can't help that he's a pig sometimes." Kagome responded.

"It's fine. No harm was done, right Gina?" Byakuya said, forcing out the words. He figured that forgiving the half-demon would get them away from here quicker.

"Right, let's go, Byaku!"

Byakuya's eye twitched. Byaku?

* * *

**-3PL: Kaede-**

As Kaede watched the mysterious—and not to mention powerful—man and his small charge walk quickly away from the village, she couldn't help but think that she was missing something…important.

When she'd first seen that man she hadn't been sure. But now she was. He was in fake body, just like her sister's.

"He is dead," she murmured.

* * *

**-3PL: Toshiro Hitsugaya-**

The small, white-haired prodigy was walking behind Rukia now. After he'd dropped the Time Crystal, insulted Chappy…several times and accidentally insulted _her_ (indirectly of course), Rukia had unofficially taken over the mission and was refusing to acknowledge his presence, which really irked him. But he didn't dare complain, lest she induce another Chappy-themed torture upon him.

_And_ there was the small annoyance that, though Rukia was his inferior, she _was_ a noble and she _technically_ wasn't one of _his_ subordinates, so he had to put up with her.

He was so deep in thought that he almost bumped into Rukia, who glared icily at him. He glared icily back, and was rewarded when Rukia looked away.

"What's _that?_" He heard her exclaim. Looking at the direction she was pointing to, he blinked and replied.

"Looks like…a small tornado?"

**_'Master! I smell wolves!'_** Hyōrinmaru**(1)** exclaimed suddenly from Toshiro's mindscape.

* * *

**-3PL: Koga-**

The young leader of the demon wolf tribe had been looking for his soon-to-be wife (just as soon as he got rid of her annoying mutt), Kagome, and that (said) mutt of hers…Inuyasha.

But then he'd smelled an unfamiliar scent on the wind. Racing towards it, he noticed it smelled like ice and…death?

"Demons?" He muttered to himself.

**_"KOGA! WAIT UP!"_** He heard. Glancing back, he saw his second and third in command, Ginta and Hakkaku running to catch up with him. Snorting, he merely ran in the direction of the odd scent. Let the stragglers catch up later.

* * *

**-3PL: Yoruichi Shihōin-**

Yoruichi and Soifon were jumping from tree to tree in the direction of their preferred direction: northeast.

Suddenly the forest ended. Landing lightly, Yoruichi heard an almost inaudible thud as Soifon landed next to her, almost as softly as she had.

Suddenly, a dark presence threatened to overwhelm her mind for a moment, before backing off when she responded violently. Nonetheless, the moment-long encounter with the strange entity had left a sick feeling in her stomach, almost making Yoruichi fall down.

"Lady Yoruichi...the _sky_." Soifon murmured, a shaky finger lifted to said sky.

Twisting her head to see what had alarmed her prodigy student, Yoruichi caught her breath in horror.

A dark, black cloud was passing over them. Small crackles of purple reishi and reiatsu pulsated in various places in it. But that wasn't what had horrified Yoruichi. The sheer _amount_ of killing intent pouring out of that cloud's reiatsu…it made Captain Zaraki's killing intent when he was having a good fight pale in comparison. And it was the same reiatsu as the one who had assaulted her mental barriers.

"What is _that_?" Yoruichi choked out. What was in that cloud?! What had such a desire to kill and enough power to carry out its wish? A demon?

Reaching out hesitantly, she was confused at what she felt. She felt only one reiatsu but it was made up of thousands of different reiryoku **(A/N: Reiatsu is spiritual pressure, the released form of spirit energy, reiryoku is spirit energy, the sealed form of spiritual pressure)**.

Had this…demon?...absorbed the reiryoku of other souls? If so, it was just as bad as a Hollow, but Yoruichi wasn't stupid or headstrong.

Without backup, her and Soifon's chances of winning, much less actually _killing_ the demon, were slim at best. Realistically, they were nonexistent.  
Pulling out her Time Crystal, "Mayuri! Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

A slightly muffled, static-y voice replied faintly, _"What? The cloud of black and purple reishi?"_

"Yes that! Can you feel the killing intent, or is the Time Crystal limited to just…"

_"Hang on a moment!...Yes, now I can feel it. Shihōin, don't you think that if the Time Crystals were constantly conducting reishi, reiryoku and reiatsu that they would break within a few weeks' time? Foolish woman, I created filters! You could not possibly begin to understand…"_

"Mayuri!" Yoruichi's tone held none of its usual cheer. Instead, it was replaced by a cool seriousness. "What. Is. That. Cloud?"

_"Isn't it obvious?"_ The scientist sneered from his lab. _"It's a demon, Shihōin! And a powerful demon at that. I'd love to get a chance to study it…"_

"Goodbye, _Captain Kurotsuchi_," Yoruichi snapped, not wanting to get dragged into a conversation about Mayuri's experiments.

Looking for the cloud, Yoruichi realized it was now gone.

"Soifon?"

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi?"

"When did the cloud disappear?"

"When it passed over that village. It just vanished." Soifon said, pointing towards a nearby village.

Nodding, Yoruichi said, "Let's turn back. Rukia, Toshiro, Nanao and Nemu can take care of themselves for now. Right now, we need to meet up with the others. That thing…it's dangerous."

"Lady Yoruichi, can't we just use the Time Crystals?"

"No. When Mayuri first explained them, I thought the 'communication' aspect of it would be some subtle form of telepathy, not as audible as it actually is. I do not want this conversation overhead." She explained, "I just hope the others don't accidentally disclose confidential information."

* * *

**-3PL: Ichigo Kurosaki-**

Ichigo and Renji had been walking for a while now, and nothing particularly interesting had happened, aside from a young girl seeing them and asking if they were demons. When they'd said no, she'd asked if they were half-demons. When Renji lost his cool and snapped at her, the little girl's father (and **_ALL_** his friends) had chased them away.

Now Ichigo was annoyed with Renji and Renji was ignoring Ichigo for the time being.

**'When is something interesting going to happen, King?'** His inner Hollow whined.

**_'How should he know, Hollow?'_** Zangetsu muttered.

**'He _should_ know! He's King!'** The Hollow protested, as if Ichigo being 'King' should automatically make him omniscient.

_'Look! Something interesting!'_ Ichigo exclaimed to the Hollow.

**'Where?'**

_'Zangetsu?'_

**_'With pleasure.'_**

**'What are you…? GET AWAY FROM ME!' **Ichigo listened as his Hollow's cries of protest slowly faded away.

_'Zangetsu, just out of curiosity…what did you do to him?'_ Ichigo asked.

**_'…'_**

_'Oi! Old man! Don't ignore me!'_

**_'Renji's speaking to you, Ichigo.'_** Snapping out of his mental conversation, Ichigo looked to his left to see that Renji _was _talking.

"…but if we are to work together, you gotta let that incident go! It was an accident, all right? I just want to find Rukia faster, and we need to work together. You got that?" Renji snapped, looking at Ichigo.

"Sure, fine. But, I have a question."

"What?"

**_'Don't say it, Ichigo! I know what you want to say! Do not…'_**

"Why are _you_ lecturing _me_ when it was _you _who got us run out of a village?"

**_'Don't say I didn't warn you.'_**

"Because, you idiot, YOU were mere SECONDS from snapping! I just…reacted faster! It could've been either of us, dumbass."

Just as Ichigo was opening his mouth to deliver a stinging retort, Zangetsu said:

**_'You're not going to find Rukia if you stand around arguing all day.'_**

"I'm going to let that slide," Ichigo growled, "let's find Rukia…and Toshiro...and the two other Lieutenants…"

Renji hesitated, then nodded carefully: "Uh-huh. But if you _do_ piss me off again, I won't go easy on you."

"Same." Ichigo snorted.

* * *

**-3PL: Rukia Kuchiki-**

**_'I sense a demonic reiatsu coming from that tornado, my Lady,'_** Sode no Shirayuki's voice said.

Rukia's hand gripped her zanpakutō at these words.

**_'…But I do not sense killing intent.'_**

Relaxing, but not taking her hand away from her weapon, Rukia eyed the tornado.

"Kuchiki, Hyōrinmaru says that the tornado smells of wolves," Captain Hitsugaya said.

Shooting Captain Hitsugaya a glance, she saw him looking at her carefully, something akin to _wariness_ in his eyes. Oops. Maybe she SHOULDN'T have subjected him to "Chappy torture" as Ichigo and Renji "_lovingly"_ referred to it as. According to them, it was…traumatizing.

_'Ridiculous! Chappy isn't traumatizing!'_

**_'Yes it is. Especially when it's portrayed by you, my Lady.'_** Sode no Shirayuki responded immediately. After the Muramasa incident, she'd been more inclined to voice her opinions…especially if they had to do with Chappy the Rabbit.

"Dammit, Sode no Shirayuki," Rukia hissed under her breath.

**_'Last time I checked, my release command was 'Dance,' not 'Damn it.'_** Sode no Shirayuki teased.

_'…Shut up…' _Rukia sighed. _This_ was the reflection of her soul?

"Yo," a new voice, distinctly male, said, "who're you?"

"Manners dictate that you should introduce yourself first, demon," Captain Hitsugaya snapped.

"Koga, leader of the Eastern Demon Wolf Tribe. And you?"

"Toshiro Hitsugaya, someone of importance in my…tribe."

"Huh. A shorty like you is important in your tribe? By the way, what ARE you? You pretty much just admitted you're a demon but…" The wolf demon—Koga?—trailed off.

The air then became decidedly frosty**(2)** as the word "shorty" left the demon's mouth.

_'He did not…'_

**_'Yes, he did...'_**

_'He insulted Captain Hitsugaya's height!'_

* * *

**-3PL: Byakuya Kuchiki-**

After a while, Byakuya was tired of slowing down for the girl, Gina. So he picked her up a carried her the remaining few miles to where he'd seen her mother.

"Girl…"

"Gina."

"Gina…you won't tell anyone about my companions or myself, will you? Just say that the others fought the battle and I found you afterwards if you need to say anything."

"Why?"

"…It's a secret."

"I'm good at keeping secrets!"

"Then you should be good at keeping this one," Byakuya replied.

"Aw, you're no fun, Byaku!"

"Do not call me that name, girl. Do you know you're way home from here?" Byakuya asked suddenly.

"Yeah! This is where Tokiko and I played with my big brother, Kyo, before he died!" Gina said brightly.

Byakuya hesitated at the mention of her brother's death.

"I'm sorry…for your loss…"

"It happened when I was four, and that was four and a half years ago. It's fine!" Gina said.

Byakuya looked at the eight-year-old. For her to have such maturity at such a young age…it must have affected her more than she'd known.

"Go on. Back to your mother," Byakuya told the silver-eyed girl.  
"Thank you, Byaku!"

This time Byakuya did not correct the girl. In fact, he was already gone.

* * *

**1. Hyōrinmaru (_Ice Ring_) Toshiro's zanpakutō. Its release is "Sit Upon the Frosted Heavens". Its shikai is the same as the unsealed version of Hy****ō**rinmaru, except that it has a chain and crescent blade attached to the hilt. It can summon dragons made of ice and water. Toshiro—as a captain—has achieved Bankai, Daiguren Hy**ō**rinmaru (_Crimson Lotus Ice Ring_). His Bankai lets him gain dragon wings made of ice, along with an ice dragon tail and other various parts of him (namely his arms and shoulders) covered in an icy armor. Hy**ō**rinmaru's HUMAN form is that of a tall man with long blue hair, a X-shaped scar on his face and a mantle made of ice. He wears a blue-green kimono and his arms are ALSO covered in ice. Hy**ō**rinmaru's TRUE form is that of an ice dragon.

**2. "the air became frosty"-because Toshiro wields an ice-type zanpakut****ō**, he can make the surrounding air colder at will (or on accident).  


* * *

**Me: 'Kay. I incorporated some of the other characters. Sandira wasn't in this one, and he won't be in a chapter for a while. Maybe obscure mentions of him, but that'll be it for a while. But he'll be back.**

**Sandira: *sarcastically* Joy.**

**Me: And this ****_attitude_**** of his will only bring him misfortune, as I am the authoress.**

**Sandira:…I…****_apologize_****…**

**Me: That wasn't so hard, now was it, San-san?**

**Gina: Is he SUPPOSED to be drawing his katana?**

**Me:…No. You might wanna leave, Gina…**

**Gina: Why? He's not attacking. **

**Sandira: *muttering* It's not worth it. It's not worth it. It's not worth it…It is NOT worth the future misfortune…although seeing SSKA bleed would be AWESOME…**

**Me: "Awesome" was a word back in the Feudal Era?**

**Gina: Nuh-uh. It's your influence.**

**Me: I'M AN INFLUENCE! YAAAAAY!**

**Gina: *Facepalm***


	10. 9 Truths and Favors

**Me: Thanks to **_arandomreviewer __**(BTW, I DID appreciate your Chap. 3 review), **__The Purple Jade__**,**_ _DGtnsl__**, **__wt183__**,**__ Tsukino Aisuru-A__** and **__ultima-owner._

**Amaya: Yo, it's been a while.**

**Me: Anyway, I am neither Tite Kubo nor do I own Inuyasha. Enjoy!**

**Sayo: And you conveniently forgot that you wrote yourself into a corner?**

**Me: Urusai.**

* * *

**9. Truths and Favors**

**-3PL: Byakuya Kuchiki-**

As Byakuya walked away from where he'd left Gina, a familiar reiatsu washed over him.

"Yo! How's it been, Byakushi?"

"Shihōin," Byakuya growled.

"Why so hostile?" The noble woman asked teasingly.

"Why are you here? I thought you'd chosen to move northeast?"

"Something…came up."

"And you neglected to inform your allies through the Time Crystals?"

"Listen, Byakuya…I need your help…"

* * *

**-3PL: Koga-**

Koga wasn't stupid, or even that reckless, contrary to Inuyasha's beliefs. When the word "midget" left his mouth, the air had become unbelievably frosty. Considering the stench of ice on the duo, Koga figured that he'd pissed the boy—Toshiro—off.

"Look, kid," he started, but stopped as a feeling of cold seeped into his fur. Okay, this wasn't working. "What are you? Are you allies of Naraku?"

"Naraku?" The girl asked cluelessly.

"Naraku, a backstabbing bastard who doesn't face his own battles, fairly good at making barriers? Know him?"

"No, sorry. We've only been in this area for a short period of time." The girl said.

"What's your name? You never introduced yourself."

"Rukia Kuchiki," the girl replied.

**_"KOGA!"_** Koga's head shot up.

"Well, gotta go…but one last thing: You guys are ice demons right?"

"Why do you ask that?" Toshiro said, visibly stiffening.

"I can smell the ice on you," Koga said, conveniently 'forgetting' to ask the two about the second scent on them.

"You _could_ say that we're ice demons. Now didn't you say you had to go?" Rukia asked hurriedly.

Koga grinned and shot off, creating his trademark tornado.

* * *

**-3PL: Hyōrinmaru-**

Hyōrinmaru sighed in relief. A few more seconds and the wolf would've been frozen over.

**_"You have to be more careful, Master,"_** he scolded.

_'He annoyed me,' _was his Master's unsatisfactory reply.

* * *

**-3P0-**

Inuyasha and company left the demon lizard village with the captives and Kagome fussing over Inuyasha's "head injury", much to Inuyasha's annoyance.

"I'm fine," he snapped for the fifteenth time.

"Uh-huh. People who are 'fine' don't hallucinate," Kagome replied calmly.

"At the very least stop looking at me like I'm gonna drop dead at any moment!"

"Head injuries _are_ very serious, Inuyasha," Miroku called from his position next to Kaede on her horse, Indra.

"Shut up, Miroku! No one asked you!"

"The village is just up ahead," Kaede said, "just wait until we arrive, then ye can sort this out."

Grumbling, Inuyasha glanced at the old priestess and gave her a curt nod.

Just then, one of the children who'd run ahead let out a squeak of surprise as they tripped and fell down.

"OW!" The young girl, tears welling up in her eyes and nursing her now-injured knee, looked to Kaede, "Grandma Kaede! I got hurt!"

"Are you okay?" A young male's voice called, and Inuyasha jumped. Maybe there _was_something wrong with him, he hadn't noticed anyone's approach. Whipping around, he saw the man—men—in question. One of them had bright orange hair, and though he was wearing a normal villager's clothes, he wore an expensive-looking cloak that was covering what looked suspiciously like a huge sword. The other had long red hair tied back in a spiky ponytail, tribal tattoos and he wore the same thing the orange-haired man did, minus the cape. A katana in a red sheath was at his side

The others turned around to, surprised to see two young men following them.

"Hello, I'm Miroku, who're you?" Miroku called.

"Ichigo Kurosaki. This is my friend, Renji Abarai. Is that little girl all right?" Ichigo replied.

"I'm fine!" The girl called back, jumping up, then wincing slightly. But nevertheless the girl continued to run ahead with her friends.

Ichigo looked on for a moment. Then he started walking again.

"Do you know what's in this direction?" Ichigo asked.

"Our village," Kaede replied, looking at Ichigo with wariness.

Inuyasha picked up their scents just then: a odd mixture of snake-skin, monkey fur, night air, and death...again. What was with people smelling of death suddenly popping up?

"Who are you?" Inuyasha snapped suddenly.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," Ichigo replied, an odd expression on his face.

"No. _What_ are you? You sense it to, don't you, Kaede?"

"You're dead." Kaede said flatly, turning to the two.

"I'm fairly sure we're still breathing," Renji said, nervousness creeping into his voice.

"Dead souls in a fake body, like my sister," Kaede explained.

"Your sister?" Ichigo asked, trying to veer off the subject.

"She died fifty years ago. A demon brought her back." Okay, that was _not_ veering off the subject.

"Uh-huh. I can assure you, I'm still alive." Ichigo said. It was the truth. Technically, he was still human, and still alive, despite having Shinigami powers.

"Are you sure?"

"Very," Renji snapped.

They came to a fork in the road. The children had begun going down the one in which a village was clearly. Ichigo and Renji immediately headed for the other.

"Goodbye!" Ichigo called over his shoulder.

"Were they really dead?" Sango asked.

"They had a unique aura—almost a miasma—around them," Miroku said, "but they felt different from Kikyo."

"Regardless," Kaede began, "they were dead."

* * *

**-3PL: Sandira Tokage-**

Wearily, Sandira opened his eyes. And found a tan man with black objects on his eyes staring back at him.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" Sandira yelled, throwing the man off.

"Boss!" The man yelled. "He's up!"

"Sandira Tokage, an Arrancar from the other side of the Wormhole," a cheery voice said.

Sandira whipped around to see a blond man with gray eyes half-hidden underneath a green and white hat, waving a fan around.

"My name is Kisuke Urahara. Nanao Ise and Nemu Kurotsuchi—you might recognize those names better than mine—were sent by Byakuya Kuchiki to drop you off here."

"Okay," Sandira said, "why?"

"You're a Hollow now, they couldn't very well leave you in a world without Hollows, could they?"

"..."

"Candy?" Kisuke asked, gesturing to the aisles of candy in his shop.

"Freaky weird Shinigami," Sandira replied, laying down to go to sleep.

"...That's not very nice."

"Shut up, freaky weirdo."

Just before Sandira fell asleep he could've sworn he heard, "I think I like 'Hat 'n' Clogs' better than 'freaky weirdo'."

* * *

**Me: Short chapter. GOMEN! But my train of thought de-railed and fell into the bottomless abyss that is writer's block...so I apologize.**

**Sayo: Right now we'll focus on Return of the Reapers, Shinigami Through Time and Space and Shunkō Shinobi. In that order of priority.**

**Me: Goodbye for now! Hopefully my train of thought/muse/idea comes back!**

**Sandira: GAAAH! NO! I'm stuck with a freaky weirdo! One with CANDY!**


	11. 10 The Baddies

**Me: Instead of posting long chapters up in the 2,000+ range of words every few months, I'll just post short chapters down in the range of 500 or 1,000 words every week or so.**

**10. The Baddies**

**-3PL: Kikyo-**

The raven-haired, undead miko watched with narrowed eyes as the two other undead walked away from Inuyasha's group. Inuyasha stared after the duo the longest, but eventually even he looked away.

She quietly made her around him, so that he wouldn't notice, and then began to track the two souls.

* * *

**-3PL: Naraku-**

Naraku looked at the empty graves of the Band of Seven.

They would not be enough. Deep within, Onigumo was stirring. And he _knew_ something that Naraku didn't.

Something must be done.

"Kagura, Kanna," he said calmly, "come here. I have a mission for you."

* * *

**-3PL: Sosuke Aizen-**

Aizen was no fool.

Before his betrayal, he'd connected on of the Octava Espada's supercomputers with the Department of Research and Development's main computer.

He'd set up a bunch of fail-safes around it, but he was surprised that Captain Kurotsuchi hadn't yet found it.

Though it may have been due to the fact that Aizen wasn't giving the Soul Society any more leisure time.

He looked over the Octava's latest report:

_SZAYEL APORRO GRANTZ, OCTAVA ESPADA, HEAD OF THE LAS NOCHES LABORATORIES_

_Recently, the Captain of Squad Twelve, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, was doing research on Noba, one of the Mod Souls created by Kisuke Urahara, former Captain of Squad Twelve._

_Accidentally triggering Noba's powers through various stimuli, he created a wormhole to the Feudal Era an alternate dimension._

_According to the information gathered, he originally sent, Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of Squad Ten, Nanao Ise, Lieutenant of Squad Eight, Nemu Kurotsuchi, Lieutenant of Squad Twelve, and Rukia Kuchiki, Unseated Officer of Squad Thirteen, through._

_After they were ambushed by what has been marked down in their official report as "demons," they were separated and Soul Society was forced to send Ichigo Kurosaki, Substitute Shinigami, Byakuya Kuchiki, Captain of Squad Six, Renji Abarai, Lieutenant of Squad Six, Yoruichi Shihōin, former Captain of Squad Two, former Corps-Commander of the Stealth Force, and former head of the Shihōin Clan, and Soifon, Captain of Squad Two and Corps-Commander of the Stealth Force._

_Evidentially, a new Arrancar (they have identified it in their report as a male named "Sandira Tokage") was found in this alternate world, and is now currently residing at Urahara Shouten with Kisuke Urahara, Tessai Tsukabishi, former Kidō Chief of the Kidō Corps and two children._

Aizen smirked. This could prove to be interesting.

"Gin. Tōsen. I have a favor to ask of you."

* * *

**Me: DAMMIT, AIZEN! COME HERE!**

**Aizen: What is it, woman?  
**

**Me: *revs chainsaw* I NEED TO TAKE OUT MY WRITER'S BLOCK ON SOMEONE/SOMETHING!  
**

**Aizen: O.O  
**

**Me: Better run. Or better yet, Flash Step.  
**

**Aizen:...*shunpos away*  
**

**Me: ITS ON, BITCHCURL!  
**

**Sandira: At least you came back?  
**


	12. 11 Bloodied River and Threatening Miko

**_I DON'T OWN ANY ANIME AT ALL, MUCH LESS BLEACH OR INUYASHA.  
_**

**_I am pretty much skipping from episode 88 to episode 102. I have no idea what the corresponding manga chapters are, but most of the episodes in between those two episodes are fillers anyway._**

**_And Kikyo is still currently working for Naraku, by the way. Or at least cooperating for the moment.  
_**

* * *

**11. Bloodied River and Threatening Miko  
**

* * *

**_-Renji and Ichigo, being followed by Kikyo-_**

Renji and Ichigo quickly made their way down the pathway. After a while, Renji stopped abruptly.

"The hell, Renji?" Ichigo exclaimed as he nearly ran into the red-haired man.

"We're being followed," the Lieutenant announced quietly, glancing around.

Ichigo's entire demeanor changed. "Don't you know anything, Renji? Don't make it so obvious that you're on to them! Keep going."

Renji shot an annoyed look at Ichigo.

"I knew that."

"Somehow," Ichigo replied, "I don't think you did."

Before Renji could protest, an arrow thudded into a tree near his head.

"HOLY-!"

Zanpakutō are the reflections of their master's true selves. Whatever mask or personality a zanpakutō's wielder tries to hide behind, a zanpakutō shows their master's true attitude.

At the moment that Renji shouted out, Ichigo showed his Zangetsu-y side, instead of being his usual idiot self. He grabbed Renji from behind, covering the Lieutenant's mouth, and quickly weaved his way through the trees, until he was satisfied that there was no clear shot to the them.

_"Be quiet and don't make a sound,"_ Ichigo hissed quietly, before letting him go.

Renji gave him a withering look, but remained silent.

"You there! Both of you! Come out now, I wish to speak with you," a female voice called.

Ichigo and Renji glanced at each other.

"How do we know you won't attack us again?!" Renji yelled back.

"I'll attack you again if you don't come out, I can promise you that," the cold voice replied.

Ichigo made up his mind.

He moved out from the trees' shelter.

* * *

**_-Byakuya, Yoruichi and Soifon-_**

Byakuya, Yoruichi and Soifon shunpo'd all the way to the village where the two ninja-like Shinigami had sensed a demonic reiatsu.

Yoruichi was being serious enough to not tease Byakuya for once, which immediately set warning bells off in Byakuya's head.

"This is where it was," she murmured.

"Blood!" Soifon suddenly cried out.

Byakuya and Yoruichi turned sharply to see what she was talking about.

The stream that flowed next to them was turning red with blood.

"I can't imagine how much blood would be needed to stain an entire river red," Yoruichi exclaimed.

"Look, a wolf," Soifon said, pointing at a sodden shape in the river. How she could tell it was a wolf from this distance was beyond Byakuya.

And in the distance, there was a roar, much like that of a Hollow's.

Yoruichi and Soifon looked startled.

Byakuya looked in their direction, "You haven't had an encounter with demons yet." It was a statement.

Yoruichi immediately looked curious, "That's the roar of a demon?"

"…Ko…ga…save…tribe…"

The Shinigami looked over at the river. The wolf had managed to painfully wallow its way to halfway up the shoreline, and it was murmuring in a pained way.

"So it's still alive?" Soifon muttered.

"Evidently." Byakuya replied.

Yoruichi knelt by the wolf, "Can you tell us what happened?"

The wolf looked up sharply, as if surprised to see another living being. "I come…from the Northern Demon Wolf Tribe…we were attacked by a specter…my tribe and the surrounding demons fled…the demons attacked and devoured many of our tribe…if only…Ayame had…brought Koga…from the…Eastern Demon Wolf…Tribe…he…would have…protected us…"

The wolf closed its eyes and laid its head on the ground.

"Soifon! Come over and help me heal him, I think this 'specter,' he's speaking about may be connected with the corrupt presence we sensed earlier."

Yoruichi's protégée nodded and obeyed, coming closer.

* * *

**_Me:_ Kay, I have no clue what I'm doing. I figure that after the Shinichinintai make their appearance, I'll wrap this up.**

**_Sandira:_ So I won't make a reappearance?  
**

**_Me:_ Maybe, maybe not. Most likely I'll kill you off. *grins evilly*  
**

**_Sandira:_ You're bluffing. Either way, you can't off me if you're dead.  
**

**_Me:_...Point. You know what? I'm not going to mess with you.  
**


	13. AN - PLEASE READ

_**I AM NOT ABANDONING THIS, NOR AM I PUTTING IT UP FOR ADOPTION!**_

_**I WILL FINISH THIS!**_

**However, I am currently stuck in a rut. For now, I'll focus on Return of the Reapers; however, I KNOW where I want this to end, I'm just trying to find the words. When I find them, I'll update ASAP, promise.**

**I've got this storyline basically plotted out, I just need some time to put further thought into it. Thank you for putting up with my antics. And I promise that I'll be DONE with this ENTIRE STORY by the end of the summer of 2013 at LATEST.**


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